Finding Retribution
by darlsonalice
Summary: A broken spirit is a dangerous one. With nothing left to lose, Robin finds himself standing at Slade's side. Though the Titans eagerly search for him, they remain unaware of what their friend has become. They, as Robin once had, must come to learn that the only way out is through sacrifice. -Takes place two years after Trouble in Tokyo-
1. Assassin

-Disclaimer: I do not own Robin, Slade, the Titans, or any other DC character that may appear in this story.-

Rated M for content including: graphic violence, language, and violent sexual themes.

A notice to all readers: This story is not Sladin and there will be nothing sexual in nature between Robin and Slade. It is however a very dark and sometimes morbid story that includes torture and rape, so be warned. If you are fine with both of these things, then please feel free to continue! And enjoy!

(Also, do not read the reviews before the story as they contain spoilers!)

* * *

Robin could feel the leathery material of the couch in between his fingers as he gazed uncaringly at the coffee table. The sun shone through the window in bright streaks of warmth, landing all along the room and Robin's skin. One ray was directly in line with his eyes, but he didn't move, he didn't care enough to move… His chest rose and fell steadily with his breath and his eyes were unfocused.

Suddenly, the door opened and a man walked in. He surveyed the room, taking note of the young man sitting on the couch, leaning forward with his arms on his knees and his hands gently caressing the edges of the couch. He seemed so calm, so unnervingly at ease for someone in his situation. His jet black hair lay flat against his head, shiny from the obvious use of product. The man walked a little further into the room, moving out of the way of the door and leaving it ajar. The young man hadn't looked up since he entered the room; in fact, it almost seemed as if he hadn't noticed the older man's presence. This shocked him slightly; normally, men jumped at the sound of the door opening alone, but for him not to even acknowledge the man's presence, it was almost disrespectful.

"The Boss is waiting for you." The man's voice was musky and deep. Robin took in a breath and slowly lifted his head up. A very tall, burly man stood across the room from him, holding out his arm so as to indicate that he could enter the next room. Robin looked at him for a while, his eyes passing over every inch of the man's body, almost as if he was looking for something. They stopped at his face, at the scar that marred the left half of his jaw. The man shifted his weight, unease settling across his chest at the look that the young man was giving him. Robin saw his jaw tense slightly and rose from the couch, ready to begin.

He walked across the floor, rounding the coffee table and heading towards the door. The man approached him from behind, following him to the next room and stopping at the entryway. Robin entered the room and casually took a seat in one of the chairs at the front of the desk. A tall, slim man nodded towards his assistant who in turn shut the door, leaving the two alone in the office.

"I see that you found my office fine," the man said with his back turned away from Robin, observing some artifact on one of his shelves. Robin did not answer, but merely remained seated, staring fixedly at the desk in front of him. "I was glad to hear that we could come to some mutual agreement," the man said as he put the object back onto the shelf. His voice was very composed and smooth; he caressed each word as if it was a fine silk. "I know how difficult it can be with your boss." The man turned around to look at Robin, curiosity in his eyes; he had never seen the young man before, yet had heard so much about him.

Robin was now looking at the man with expressionless eyes, imploring him to continue. The man took a step forward and sat down in the plush chair behind the desk, folding his hands in front of him. He surveyed Robin a few moments longer, studying his face, his eyes. The man's eyes squinted slightly and Robin felt a shift in the atmosphere. "Shall we get started? I know that you and your boss are not pleased with what happened last week, and let me just assure that I was not aware that the target had been yours. Or surely I would not have taken the job." The man studied Robin, trying to find a change in his expression… to much avail. "I find that this can be easily remedied with a simple contract for the future, to make sure that nothing like this happens again." He swallowed and scratched his scalp lightly, leaving streaks on his bald head from his fingernails.

Robin observed the man, noticing him becoming paler as he put his hands back onto the desk, his thumbs fiddling with each other. "It would be most beneficial to the both of our parties if we kept an open communication system about future jobs so as to… keep….the," the man swallowed, "peace." He looked at Robin nervously, his breathing becoming shallow. He stood up abruptly and walked back to the shelf, his back once again to Robin. He picked up an object from one of the shelves and looked at it, his eyes sorrowful. In that moment, he felt a certain twinge at his heart; he could not quite place it. It was neither happy nor sad, it was almost acceptance.

"I notice that you are not wearing your mask... Highly unusual, at least from what I have heard." He stroked the object with his index finger, looking at it one more time before lifting his head up. "I have only heard of one circumstance in which you are seen without your mask." He felt a change in the air, as if it had been moved, shuffled around. He placed the object back upon the shelf, angling it so that it was facing his desk and took a deep breath, turning to face Robin. The air changed, it became tense with anticipation.

Rays of sunshine shone through the blinds just as they had in the previous room and small dust particles could be seen dancing around in them. Robin was now standing directly in front of him, having stood up whilst he had his back turned. He knew the purpose of this visit; he could tell from the moment he saw Robin enter the room. He had held out hope that maybe the matter could be settled, but deep inside he knew. He knew the true nature of the visit, which was why he had stayed so late the previous night…. He had to say goodbye, just in case. He wanted their last memory of him to be fond, before they learned the truth about him. He just hoped that they would remember the good things about him and focus on the man, not the criminal.

He looked at Robin, eyes knowing, and placed his hands forward, palms up, signaling that he was ready. The metal was shining in the sunlight, reflecting one of the beams back towards the window. It had been freshly polished, not a single fingerprint blemishing the surface. The man observed the eerie beauty of it; he couldn't explain quite what he found so beautiful about it, but he didn't care enough to try. His eyes shifted from the object in Robin's hand up to his eyes, taking note of the dead emptiness in them. He looked deep into Robin's eyes and for that one moment in time, he felt sorry for him. He drew one last breath, waiting.

Robin lifted his arm, his gaze landing on the man's face, and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Robin was lying face down on the cold, stone floor. Blood was dripping out of his mouth and onto the floor as he coughed. He could taste the iron, so bitter on his tongue, mixing with the dirty taste of the floor. He continued coughing until a foot wedged itself under his stomach and flipped him over onto his back with a swift kick. The steel on the boot felt cold against Robin's smoldering hot skin and Robin gasped in a quick and painful breath. His lungs were on fire and every time he breathed he felt a stabbing pain in his ribs. Yet, he still hadn't given up; he would continue to fight, even if it killed him.

"Tsk, tsk Robin. I expected more of a fight from you," Slade's voice drawled. Oh how Robin hated that smooth, drawling voice. Robin coughed once more and attempted to sit up. He could still feel Slade's steel toed boot pressing lightly on his skin. Noticing his feeble attempt to get up, Slade pressed his boot harder into Robin's ribs, pushing him back onto the floor and making him cough even more violently, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth. Slade squatted down and leaned closer to Robin's face, his expression dangerous.

"Next time I give you an order, you follow it!" Slade barked. He pushed his boot into Robin's ribs with the entirety of his weight one more time before standing up and putting his foot back onto the ground. One could distinctly hear a loud crack amidst Robin's howl of pain and Slade was certain that he had broken a rib this time. Robin's head was spinning, perhaps from the loss of blood, perhaps from his inability to understand why he was where he is now. All that he knew was that he had to get up and fight, he could not, would not give up.

Slade walked around Robin's small form and stopped in front of his head, his boots lightly brushing against Robin's hair. Robin felt a very powerful shiver run down his spine at the sudden sensation of cold steel against his scalp. He looked up at Slade's towering form above him, his vision blurring. Slade squatted down, his face now directly above Robin's, and gently caressed a lock of his hair. Something about the gentleness of the act scared Robin beyond all reason. Slade was not a man that caressed or was gentle in any way, and it was rather terrifying. "You are_mine_ Robin," Slade growled and his grip began to tighten. Slade began pulling Robin into a sitting position by the clutches of his hair, forcing him to comply. Robin's hands flew to Slade's, frantically attempting to loosen his grip, but no matter how hard he pulled or scratched at Slade's hands, he could not get him to let go. Slade dragged Robin several feet by his hair before throwing him headfirst into a wall. Robin was now borderline unconscious, dizziness overwhelming him.

Slade looked down at the young boy lying on the ground below him, annoyance in his eye. The boy had barely put up a fight, far less than is to be expected from _his_ apprentice. He was going to have to teach him a lesson, Robin had far more to learn than he had initially thought. He had gone soft after all those years with the Titans. After all that time that Slade had spent away from Jump. Apparently Robin needed Slade to challenge him, well now he would get all of the challenge that he would ever need.

Robin rolled over onto his side, taking in deep breaths, preparing to get up and fight. This did not go unnoticed by Slade as he started to circle the young boy. His will to keep going is what initially attracted him to Robin; it is what made him want him as an apprentice in the first place. There were many things that he admired in the boy, many things that reminded him of himself; they were after all, so alike.

Robin squeezed his eyes shut and rolled onto his hands and knees, continuing to take in sharp breaths. He could hear Slade's boots thudding as he circled him and knew that Slade could easily kick him back to the ground at any moment. His entire body ached, his lungs burned, his head spun, and blood poured from an open wound in his head, but he didn't care. He had to fight, because if he didn't, that would mean accepting that he was Slade's apprentice, and he would never let that happen. He opened his eyes, took in another breath, and stood up, albeit shakily. Slade stopped right in front of him and stood still, beckoning for Robin to throw a punch. The entirety of his demeanor was mocking and he knew that that would rub Robin in just the right way.

Robin felt the rage build up inside of him, every inch of his body hated this man, every fiber of his being loathed his existence. As rage started to consume him, the edges of his vision began to blacken, his peripherals no longer functional. Robin threw a punch, despite his failing vision, which Slade easily blocked. He stumbled back and fell to his knees, his legs giving in and his body shaking. The darkness started to close in, engulfing Robin's vision until he could no longer see at all.

* * *

In just one moment, the man was gone, never to return, when just a few seconds ago he was living and breathing. How fragile life can be, one second here and the next gone. How easily life can be taken, stolen from a person and without a moment's thought. At least for some…

Robin lowered his arm and looked down at the man slumped upon the floor, lifeless, covered in blood. The clash of rushing feet sounded behind Robin and the door behind him suddenly slammed open. The now dead man's assistant was standing in the doorway, shock flowing through his body in waves. Before he could even reach for his holster, Robin lifted his arm behind him and with a slight turn of his head shot the man square in the face. The man collapsed to the ground, blood flowing steadily from the gunshot wound in his head and pooling onto the floor.

Robin hadn't even blinked, in fact he had barely moved at all. He slowly turned his head back towards the desk, placing his gun back into his thigh holster, and walked to the filing cabinet. He stopped for just a moment, looking at the small frame pointing towards the desk. The man, now dead on the floor near his desk, was pictured with his two daughters. Robin's eyes lingered on the blood spattered frame for just one more second before he continued towards the filing cabinet as if he had never stopped.

Outside, two shots could be heard echoing through the small, suburban neighborhood. It would be only a matter of time before the police were alerted and on their way. Yet, even with the travesty going on inside the small dental office, daily life went on. Birds were chirping, the occasional car drove down the street, and the trees rustled in the wind. You see, no matter what happens… no matter how horrible it may be, life still moves on. People still move on. Nobody truly cares, so long as it doesn't affect them. And even then, they get over it eventually. At least that is what Robin has come to learn in the past two years: _that nobody cares_.

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Please review, as I love hearing from my readers! I don't care if the story has progressed further or if it is even finished, I would still like to hear what you think. So, feel free to review any chapter at any time. Thank you for reading!


	2. On To Something

-The disclaimer is in Chapter One-

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The night was cool and still, the outskirts of the finally city settling down. All around, citizens were preparing to go to bed, ready to wind down the day. Though, one citizen's day was far from over. A young man around the age of twenty could be found running through a system of alleyways, sleek as the night itself. His footsteps were soundless, his movements swift, and his technique flawless. He was a shadow, unseen by those that populated the suburbs.

The jet black haired kid headed towards the outer edges of the town, taking the occasional rooftop and running with tremendous stamina. His breath was steady and his form impeccable. He was wearing a solid black leotard with a large orange S that started on his right shoulder and rounded its way down to his inner left thigh. He wore black steel toed boots, though they made no sound along the pavement, and several metal plates along his arms and legs. His mask was mostly black, the portion directly over his eyes being white, and the ends rounded from the edges of his eyes down his jawline in a thin strip of fabric.

The young man suddenly skidded to a stop, crouching down with his hand pressing on the ground. He looked forward at the warehouse, seemingly abandoned and falling apart; though he knew better. He had become all too familiar with structurally unstable warehouses in recent years. He stood up and walked calmly towards the warehouse, careful not to set off any of the alarm triggers. He learned to not set off the alarm a long time ago after Slade beat him within an inch of his life; Slade's reasoning being that Robin needed to learn to not set off alarms on future missions.

Inside the warehouse, a loud clang could be heard reverbing along the hallways, followed by the sound of footsteps. Robin's steel toed boots always clicked against the steel floors in the warehouse, no matter how softly he walked. He believed that Slade did this on purpose so that he could always hear what Robin was doing, not that Robin cared anymore. He walked along the corridors, taking several turns before arriving at a large set of doors. He opened the massive doors and walked into the room nonchalantly, heading towards the large work bench where Slade was sitting.

He stopped, standing directly next to Slade's chair, and dropped a file onto the bench in front of Slade, who grunted in response. He continued to examine the small metal object in his hand, ignoring the file next to him. Robin turned and walked back towards the doors, taking the silence as his queue to leave. Robin had reached the end of the room and had one foot out of the door when he was stopped. Slade leaned back in his chair, placing the object back on the bench, and crossed his hands in his lap.

"The mission went well, I presume?" he said, his voice calm and collected. Robin turned around to face him.

"Yes," Robin said, his voice void of emotion. He stood still like a statue, his breathing the only thing indicating that he was human. The room was silent, the only sound being that of a ticking clock in the distance. Robin waited, being used to Slade's drawn out response times.

"And I see that you retrieved the file," Slade stated. He was now looking up towards the roof, his expression thoughtful.

Robin continued to look at him, "Yes." His face was impassive and his voice monotonous. He felt nothing towards Slade, not even anger. He gave up on that a long time ago; life just became easier once he gave up.

Slade turned his head and looked at Robin. "Good," he replied and turned back around, once again examining the small metal object. Robin stared back at him for a moment longer before turning around and continuing on his way out. He knew that Slade had meant something by that, he didn't normally stop to talk to Robin after a mission. Whatever it meant, Robin wasn't keen upon finding out and decided to just forget it.

He walked down the halls absentmindedly, his shoes clacking. He wasn't certain whether or not he wanted to go to bed. He was kind of hungry, but in no mood to cook. So he just wandered along the halls, not particularly knowing where he was going. He was letting his body go into auto-pilot, something he did a lot these days. He liked to wander sometimes, he liked not having anywhere to go, anywhere to be… It made him feel almost free, like he was no longer Robin, but just some kid.

-Jump City-

Across the country, in a city far away, another young boy was pacing along his hallways. His heart was racing and his mind flew in fifty different directions. He was contemplating something that he believed to be important, but he was sure that they would pass it off as nothing. It was late at night and he knew that most of them were asleep. Should he wake them? 'It is important though,' he thought to himself. Suddenly, in a split second, he decided. He was going to tell them, and he was going to make them hear him out. He turned and sprinted towards the doors, which slid open for him, and ran into the main room. In the far corner a tall man could be seen typing on a computer.

"Cyborg! We need to call a meeting. NOW!" Beast Boy shouted, his voice urgent. He stood on the stairs in front of the doors, his eyes drooping from fatigue. Cyborg turned around quickly, alerted by the tone of Beast Boy's voice. He knew it must be important, considering that Beast Boy was normally asleep by this time.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Cyborg asked, his voice full of alarm. Was there danger in the Tower? Was the city being destroyed? The alarm would have gone off on its own if something like that happened. So what had Beast Boy so worked up? Cyborg's mind was racing, trying to figure out what could be wrong.

"JUST DO IT!" Beast Boy shouted. Cyborg was getting worried now. He ran towards the main computer of the room and set off the alarm, waking up the rest of the Titans. Beast Boy ran down the stairs towards Cyborg, preparing to start the meeting. He stopped directly in front of the mainframe computer, Cyborg watching him with concern the entire time. He began collecting his thoughts and was once again pacing, impatience washing over him. What is taking them so long? This is important!

Cyborg continued to watch his friend, uncertain about what was even happening. He considered asking what was going on, but he thought it better to wait for the other Titans to arrive. Beast Boy was now bouncing with agitation, "Where are they?!" He was losing his temper, something that happened often these days.

"Calm down BB, they are coming." Beast Boy stopped in his tracks and glared at Cyborg. Cyborg could feel the anger glowing off of him and he was really becoming concerned for his friend. What could possibly have him this worked up? Just when Beast Boy started to make a move towards Cyborg, Starfire walked in. She looked exhausted, dark circles hung under her eyes and her body drooped from fatigue. Her hair stood up in all directions and her clothes were wrinkled, indicating that she had fallen asleep in her uniform.

"What is wrong? Is there the danger?" Her voice was alert, despite her tired appearance. Beast Boy glowered at her, angry that she had taken so long, but also relieved that she was finally here. Her face turned to a look of confusion; she did not understand why Beast Boy looked at her with such anger.

"Just take a seat Star," Cyborg sighed, his voice resigned. He didn't feel like explaining Beast Boy's behavior, not that he could if he tried. She flew over to the couch and landed softly on the middle cushion, eager to see what was going on. She looked from Beast Boy, who was pacing back and forth, to Cyborg, who just shrugged at her. After a few moments of silence, the doors slid open again, this time Raven walking in. She strolled in calmly, knowing that there was no imminent danger. Beast Boy looked at her, a twinge of bitterness hitting him at the sight of her. She sat down silently next to Starfire, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap.

Beast Boy glared at her a moment longer before deciding to start. "Took you long enough," he mumbled, voice embittered. Raven rolled her eyes, already sick of Beast Boy's complaining. Cyborg walked over to the couch and joined the two girls. He decided that it would be best to just let Beast Boy have to floor. He didn't want to provoke him further.

"Now that we are all finally here, I have something important to tell you." Beast Boy took a deep breath, preparing himself. All of the Titans, save Raven, looked at him with curiosity. "I think that I found Robin," he whispered, his anger subsiding. There was a silence that followed his statement, which he thoroughly expected. He stood there with anticipation, waiting for someone to say something. Raven stood up and started walking towards the kitchen, still remaining silent. "Where do you think you are going?!" Beast Boy shouted after her. He couldn't believe she was just walking away, she was so stone hearted. She hadn't even heard what he had to say yet; she didn't even given him a chance.

"I am making tea," she replied, her voice cool. Cyborg looked back at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Starfire sat up straight next to him, her face perking up. Cyborg hated how excited she got every time they thought they had a lead, because it just broke her heart every time that it led nowhere. It was unfair to her and quite frankly, he was angry at Beast Boy for doing it to her again.

"Please, tell me, friend Beast Boy. How is it that you think you have found Robin?" Her voice was eager and her expression was full of excitement.

"I will tell you when we are_ all _here listening," Beast Boy replied, obviously aiming his voice towards the kitchen. Raven walked back over, a cup of herbal tea in her hand, and sat down on the couch with a sigh. She once again crossed her legs, her demeanor uncaring. "Okay, so I was surfing the internet when I saw this news report about some guy that got killed in New York," he paused and looked around at the group, "and I think it was Robin that did it." He didn't sound very convincing; in fact he wasn't even sure that he believed it himself. Now that he was saying it out loud, it sounded ridiculous. He realized that it would be more difficult to convince them than he had initially thought.

"Look, Beast Boy, I don't see what that has to do with Robin. I mean, just because some guy got murdered…." Cyborg's voice was cautious; he was trying his best to not set Beast Boy off. Beast Boy looked at Cyborg eagerly and raised his eyebrows. "I mean, people get killed all the time, BB…"

"Just hear me out! Please!" He pleaded, becoming desperate. Cyborg looked at him a moment longer, he could feel Starfire bouncing with excitement next to him, and decided to just hear him out for her sake. Beast Boy walked towards the computer and started typing away. Raven shifted her weight, fed up with Beast Boy's presentation already. Cyborg looked at her and could see it in her expression; he gave her a look, asking her to just let him continue. She just turned her head forward and sipped her tea.  
After several minutes of typing, a news article popped up onto the screen so that everyone could see it. Beast Boy turned around, indicating towards the screen. "Look!" He pointed towards the picture in the far right corner. "You see that! They found those in the dumpster behind the building where the guy was murdered!" He continued to point at the picture, imploring them to understand what he was saying. Cyborg's expression was skeptical as he looked at the article and Starfire slumped back onto the couch, disappointment washing over her.

"BB, they found clothes in a dumpster, so what?" Cyborg was becoming worried for his friend; Beast Boy was getting desperate now, finding clues about Robin in places that made no sense. Raven stood up, preparing to leave.

"NO! Don't leave! Look!" He pointed once again, "Look! The clothes! Black jeans and an ORANGE shirt!" He continued pointing, begging them to see it. Raven stood still, looking at the screen with blank eyes. "Orange is Slade's color! Orange and black, you see?! It was Robin!" Raven sighed, she almost pitied Beast Boy.

"They are just clothes Beast Boy. You always do this and quite frankly, I am sick of it. You get Starfire's hopes up, just to let her down. It is not nice, Beast Boy. Face it, Robin is gone and we are never going to get him back." Raven was completely serious, staring at Beast Boy with an empty expression. Beast Boy breathed heavily, looking around the room at everyone. Starfire was looking down at her lap, her expression defeated, and Cyborg was standing up, shaking his head. Beast Boy turned back to face Raven, his face livid.

"Just because you have given up doesn't mean that we have! If you don't care enough to look for Robin, then maybe you should just…just… _leave_!" Raven looked at him, her expression impassive. Cyborg could feel this going sour fast. He understood both of their points of view, but didn't want to provoke either of them further by saying anything. Beast Boy continued to glower at her, waiting for her response.

"Fine," Raven replied. She turned around and walked out of the room, the doors sliding shut behind her. Cyborg turned to go after her, but decided against it. He had to talk Beast Boy out of this before he went for Raven. Starfire just sat on the couch, her face buried in her hands. Beast Boy looked at Cyborg in disbelief. He could not believe how rude Raven was being, well actually he could. She had given up, but he hadn't, and he was on to something this time. He was sure of it!

"Why are you on her side?! This could be Robin! We know he is working for Slade and then this guy gets killed and they find those clothes in the dumpster, those are Slade's colors!" he shouted.

"That doesn't mean its Robin, BB. I think you just need some sleep." Beast Boy was about to say something, but Cyborg interrupted him, "I get ya BB, we all miss Robin, but we are all very tired. You don't need to take it out on us." Cyborg wanted this day to be over. He knew that Beast Boy just needed some rest, he had been up for hours searching through news articles online and it was obviously taking a toll on his mental health.

"Why am I the only one that is still looking for him?! Do none of you care anymore?!" Beast Boy was on the verge of tears, his anger mixing with despair. He felt like no one cared about Robin anymore, that no one cared enough to continue looking for him. It was obvious; the team had been falling apart without him. They lost half of their battles; in fact, they didn't even bother to answer most distress calls anymore. Beast Boy and Raven fought constantly, Starfire cried almost every day, and Cyborg was just desperately trying to keep the team together for Robin's sake. Cyborg knew that if there were no Titans anymore, then no one would be looking for Robin, and he didn't want that to happen. Robin deserved better than that.

"Look, if you go to bed and get some rest, I promise that I will look into it in the morning," Cyborg reassured. This seemed to work as Beast Boy calmed a little. He hoped that Beast Boy would be satisfied enough after tomorrow to drop it. Cyborg walked towards the doors, ready to get some rest, before stopping and looking back. "You aren't the only one looking for him. I do every day, I promise that I will never give up, BB. I promise." With that said, Cyborg walked out, leaving Beast Boy and Starfire alone.

Beast Boy suddenly felt tired, he only hoped that Cyborg could see what he was seeing tomorrow after having some sleep. Starfire suddenly stood up, tears swelling in her eyes. "Star," Beast Boy said with sympathy. He did feel bad for doing that to her, he knew that she missed Robin more than anyone. She walked out of the room, ignoring Beast Boy's remark, and headed towards her bedroom. He watched her leave, feeling ashamed. He shouldn't have called her to the meeting. In fact he shouldn't have called a meeting, he should have just told Cyborg. He would have understood better if Raven hadn't been so skeptical the whole time. She was never of any use; he didn't know why he even invited her in the first place. With that last thought he left, ready to get some sleep and hopefully clear his head.

-New York-

Robin ended up in his room, having decided against eating and having finished his nightly wandering. He walked into the bathroom that adjoined his room, ready to end the day. He turned the shower on and stripped out of his uniform. He intended upon taking a short shower so that he could get to bed earlier, but the hot water just felt too nice. There were not many things that he enjoyed anymore, but he still found pleasure in his showers. He liked how the hot water burned his skin, forcing him to feel. He didn't feel much anymore, he was always numb. It helped him cope better, yes, but sometimes he wished he could feel again, just for an hour or two, so that he could feel like he was human.

After having his fill, he turned off the water and stepped onto the cold tile. He dried himself off with a towel and walked over to the sink. He started to comb his hair, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He examined his face, looking everywhere before landing on his eyes, those once vibrant blue eyes, now so empty and cold. They looked so foreign, like they weren't his. He didn't recognize himself; he had stopped seeing himself in the mirror a long time ago. He hated what he saw now; the young boy who looked back at him was a cold blooded killer, Slade's apprentice, Slade's _property…_ Suddenly, the mirror shattered and shards of glass flew everywhere.

Robin looked down at his fist, now covered in blood, and flexed it. Fragments of glass were embedded in his skin. He looked back up at the mirror where several large pieces of glass remained intact, distorting his image. He sighed and turned on the faucet, running his hand under the water before starting the task of pulling the pieces of glass out of his hand.

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Please be so kind as to leave a review! And thanks for deciding to continue after Chapter One.


	3. A Night Out On The Town

-The disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Once again, please review and thank you for reading!

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-Nearly two years ago-

It was a hot night in Jump City, the sun had gone down and the air had not yet cooled. People all around the city were starting to come out, ready to relax and enjoy themselves with a night out on the town. Not everyone was relaxing however; a group of five teenagers were in the middle of the city with work on the mind.

"Argh! Robin, Starfire, he is heading east! I repeat, he is heading east!" Cyborg yelled into his communicator. Raven was already flying after the criminal in question, maintaining visual contact the whole time. She was not prepared to lose him again.

"On it!" Robin replied while running to his motorcycle. He and Starfire had gotten separated from the team during the chase and were a few blocks away from the rest of them. Cyborg ran down the street, advancing towards a figure sprawled across the ground. He leaned down and grabbed the young teen's shoulders, shaking him and trying to wake him.

"Come on BB, wake up!" He shouted; he needed him to get up so that they could join the rest of the team in pursuit. Beast Boy remained lifeless and Cyborg lifted him up onto his shoulders, carrying him across the street to the T-car. He placed Beast Boy in the back and sped away, heading east to meet up with the rest of the Titans.

Raven could hear the rumble of the R cycle behind her and was soon after joined by Starfire. The two flew side by side while Robin rode underneath them on the street. The perpetrator was a short distance ahead of them, zooming in and out of traffic on his own motorcycle. Starfire sped up, flying ahead of Raven, and threw starbolts at the bike. She was lowering her altitude when a large red object flew out from behind the bike and wrapped around her, causing her to spiral out of control. She fell to the ground with a clash and tumbled backwards. Robin maneuvered around her, barely missing her with his bike.

Raven and Robin continued the pursuit, maintaining close distance the entire time. After chasing the offender for a few more blocks, the T-car flew out from a nearby street, cutting off Robin and joining the chase.

"Ughhhh, man. What happened?" Beast Boy moaned, clutching his head. He was lying in the back of the car and was beginning to feel very nauseous. Cyborg looked back for a moment, making sure that he was okay.

"You hit your head, we are in pursuit," Cyborg replied. He didn't want to take his focus off of the chase by elaborating. Beast Boy just moaned in reply and curled up into a ball, continuing to clutch his head. Raven was picking up speed, now approaching the motorcycle. She wanted to lift the ground up in front of the motorcycle, but doing so on a busy street might harm other motorists and innocent bystanders. So, she settled upon trying to hold the motorcycle itself back, though at that speed, it would be difficult.

Cyborg could see her preparing for attack through his windshield and moved over to the right lane, giving her room. Robin rounded around the T-car and drove ahead of it, maintaining distance between Raven and him. Raven engulfed the motorcycle in black magic and pulled with all of her might, causing the tires to screech. The driver gassed the bike, trying to go faster to break the enchantment. He turned around to throw something at her, but stopped as he heard a loud _pop_. The bike stopped abruptly and flipped over, causing him to fly out of his seat and skid across the road. Robin immediately stopped his bike and ran over to the wreckage.

The T-car slid to a halt and Cyborg came running out of the car, Beast Boy following behind him at a slower pace. Soon Starfire flew over, seeing the small cloud of smoke coming from the damaged bike. The offender pushed himself off the ground and stood up, looking at the Titans.

"Give it up, Red X" Robin shouted, standing in a defensive stance. He knew that Red X would not come easily and kept his guard up. Starfire's hands began to glow and Cyborg had his cannon aimed at Red X.

"Now kid, what would be the fun in that?" Red X retorted. He threw several large X's at the Titans, each of them exploding on the ground in front of them. The Titans began to attack, each taking their turn at attempting to disarm Red X and none getting closer to doing so. Red X really had seemed to have improved in combat over the past year while he was lying low.

He ran down the street, Raven and Starfire hot on his heels. Cyborg and Beast Boy were running after him, Beast Boy in the form of a cheetah. Robin was running towards his bike, knowing that it would be faster in the long run if he went back for it. Red X skidded to a stop and flew two X's at the girls behind him, one hitting Raven and sending her flying backwards, and the other narrowly missing Starfire. She flew up above him and bombarded him with a horde of starbolts. Cyborg and Beast Boy caught up to Raven and started to help her get out of the trap.

Robin rode up, seeing the all-out battle going on between Starfire and Red X, and ran over to help. He began throwing explosives and fog bombs at Red X, attempting to blind him. Cyborg nodded to Beast Boy, who in turn ran over to help with the battle. Raven was finally out of the trap when her alarm went off, flashing red. Just a moment later, Cyborg's arm lit up and started beeping. Over at the battle scene, Starfire's pendant was flashing red and Robin's communicator was beeping. The Titans all looked around at each other, slightly confused and momentarily caught off guard.

In the moment of confusion, Red X threw several flash bombs at Starfire and Robin, and then ran into the opposite direction. Starfire immediately flew after him, not having been disarmed by the bombs. Cyborg called Robin over with a motion of his arm as Beast Boy flew after Starfire and Red X in the form of a pterodactyl.

"Robin, the Tower's alarm has gone off. It says there is an intrusion," Cyborg said. He didn't know what to make of it, the motion sensors and heat sensors indicated that there was no one there, but the alarm was going off. "I don't know if there is a break in, but someone should go check on the Tower." He wanted to be sure that everything was alright, better safe than sorry.

"I'll go, you stay here and help the others," Robin said. He hated leaving in the middle of a chase, but the Tower did need to be checked. Raven was sitting on the ground next to them, listening intently. In the distance, the sounds of battle could be heard and flashes of green light lit up the sky.

"I will go with you," Raven said. Even though Cyborg wasn't certain what was wrong, it was best to be cautious. It wouldn't be safe for Robin to go alone. He looked at her for a moment, considering.

"Fine, but Cyborg, you need to stay and help the others with Red X." he said, his tone absolute. Cyborg nodded and ran off towards the battle. Robin pulled Raven up by her hand and ran towards his bike. The two headed towards the Tower, Raven flying above Robin's speeding bike.

...

After about ten minutes of breaking every speeding law ever, Robin and Raven arrived at Titans tower. He stepped off his bike and walked towards the front door, Raven landing behind him and following. The Tower was dark and silent; there were no signs of life whatsoever. The two cautiously walked through the front doors. The room was flashing with red lights, the alarm now silent. Robin walked to the alarm's keypad and punched in a code, turning the red lights off.

The two looked around the room before walking to the elevator. "Let's check the entire Tower, just to be sure," Raven said. It didn't seem like anything was wrong, but that was perhaps what made her want to check it out the most. Robin nodded in agreement and the two set off, checking each floor before arriving to the main ops room. The two split, each examining one side of the room before reconvening in the middle.

"Well, it looks like nothing is here, must have been an error." Robin knew that their security system was top of the line, but even the best security systems were prone to mistakes. Raven looked around the room, still slightly suspicious.

"Yeah, I suppose." There was nothing in the tower, or they would have seen it. Yet, she couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Her instincts told her that the alarm didn't go off by accident, but her logic told her that they had checked the tower and found nothing.  
"Robin to Cyborg, Robin to Cyborg. There is nothing here, we checked the entire Tower and everything is clear. Have you apprehended Red X?" Robin was talking into his communicator, looking at Cyborg's face. An explosion sounded and a flash of light flourished in the background behind Cyborg.

"We are still fighting him. We managed to corner him on 5th, but he is putting up a good fight." Cyborg replied; he looked back at the fight behind him. "I have to go, they need my help." Cyborg looked at Robin, ready to cut off the call.

"Okay, Raven and I will be there as soon as we can," Robin replied. The call cut off and Robin put away his communicator. He was walking towards the door when Raven's hand gripped his arm, stopping him. "Raven, we have to go, they need us." Robin said, he didn't have time to dawdle and they had already wasted time coming to the Tower on a faulty alarm.

"I don't know Robin, something doesn't feel right." Raven said; she always trusted her instincts, no matter what her logic told her. Robin looked at her, his face inquisitive.

"We checked the whole tower Raven, there is nothing here." Robin was sure that they had combed the entire tower, but he had learned to trust Raven's instincts. She was normally right when it came to these things.

"I know, but I just sense that something is off. I think we should check again." Robin could not believe this. As much as he trusted Raven, his team needed him. He looked at her face; she was completely serious, she really seemed to think that something was wrong. He sighed and walked towards the computer.

"You go ahead; I am going to reset the alarm. Try to make it quick so that we can get back to the others." Robin logged into the mainframe and started resetting the alarm, making sure that it was completely functional this time. He could hear the doors slide shut behind him and hoped that Raven was moving quickly. He told Cyborg that he would be there soon and he didn't intend on leaving him hanging.

He exited through the doors on the right, going in a different direction than Raven. They would cover more ground that way. He wandered the halls, checking every room on the way. After about twenty minutes of checking he arrived back at the ops room. He looked around once again, finding it empty. Raven must have finished her sweep and gone down a floor. He was about to follow suit when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A shadow moved in the hallway that he had first entered, but it was so quick that he wasn't even sure if he saw it.

He approached the hallway guardedly and peeked into it. It was dark, too dark to see anything. He walked into it, leaving the lights off, and continued down, listening intently for any sound of movement. He walked for several minutes before stopping and getting ready to turn around and head back. He heard a door lightly close in the hallway to his right and he turned around, walking warily towards the sound. He peeked around the corner, once again seeing nothing. There were several doors down the hallway, one being the door to his room. He was about to investigate when he heard the sounds of voices in the distance.

"Dude, why is it so dark in here? Didn't they turn on the lights when they got here?" Beast Boy's voice boomed across the room and Robin came running in from the hallway. All the Titans, except for Raven, were standing near the door, looking exhausted. Starfire flew over to Robin, her skirt burnt and frayed from battle.

"Thank goodness, Robin, you are alright?" she asked, relief in her voice. Robin looked at her quizzically, not understanding what she meant. He was about to ask when Cyborg interrupted.

"You said that you were going to meet up with us forty five minutes ago. When you didn't show up, we assumed that something was wrong," Cyborg explained, seeing Robin's look of confusion. Robin had completely forgotten to call Cyborg to inform him that they were doing another sweep. Beast Boy walked over to the switch and turned on the lights, causing everyone to look back at him in alarm.

The doors once again slid open and Raven walked in, her eyes looking over each her team members before landing on Robin. "I checked all the floors again." Robin looked at her expectantly, his eyebrows raised in question. "Nothing," she stated, her voice monotonous. She didn't understand what was wrong; she could feel something, but what? They had checked the entire tower, _twice._She was worried and her stomach was uneasy because of it. She had never been wrong about this kind of thing before, so why now? All of the Titans were looking at her, nobody understanding exactly what she meant by it except for Robin. "I assume that you caught Red X?" she asked, turning her attention to Cyborg.

Beast Boy shifted his weight and Starfire looked away. "No, we were still in pursuit and when we realized how long it had been since you called us, we decided to come and check on you rather than continue." Cyborg was worried about how Robin would take this; he knew how Robin could get when a perp got away. "We just didn't want to be out chasing him if something was happening to you guys…" he explained. Rather than freaking out as Cyborg expected him to, Robin looked at Raven, completely ignoring the fact that they let a criminal get away.  
"I saw something, in the hallways. I don't know what it was, but we need to check this floor again." Raven looked at him, her expression somber. She knew that something wasn't right; this was not an average break in.

"Wait, so there_ is_ something here?" Cyborg asked. Robin nodded at him, not wanting to elaborate. They only had so much time before it moved. In fact, it probably already had. Raven pointed towards the hallway that Robin came from and raised her eyebrows. Robin nodded towards her and started walking in the direction that she was pointing.

They entered the hallway, Robin in the lead with Raven close behind, Beast Boy and Starfire walking side by side, and Cyborg heading the back with his cannon ready. They walked through the halls, travelling towards the place where Robin had heard the sound.

"Seriously though dude, why are none of the lights on?" Beast Boy whispered; the Titans all ignored him. Robin knew that whatever made the sound had probably moved by now, but it was their only lead. Robin approached the hallway and Starfire illuminated it with a green glow. The five teens were examining the corridor when the alarm suddenly went off, causing Beast Boy to jump. The hallway flashed red and a beeping resounded through the tower. All of the Titans looked around in alarm, not knowing what to make of it.

"Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, go back to the ops room and see what is going on with the alarm. Check the security cameras and call me when you get there." Robin thought it best to send the larger group there as it was the more potentially dangerous situation. Villains always attacked the main ops room.

"No Robin, you need me here. I am the empath; I will be more useful searching with you." Raven's tone was absolute. She did have a point, if there was anyone that would be useful in finding an intruder, it was her.

"Alright, Starfire, you go with Cyborg and Beast Boy. Don't forget to call me when you get there, I want to know what is going on with the alarm." Robin gave them one last look before turning around and continuing down the hallway, Raven floating behind him. Cyborg and Beast Boy ran in the opposite direction, heading towards the ops room. Starfire watched Robin run into the darkness, only turning around to catch up with her team mates after she could no longer see him.

...

Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire arrived in the main ops room. The lights were off and the room was lit with an eerie red from the alarm lights. The only sound was that of their breathing and the alarm sounding.

"Dude, I so turned on the lights when we got here," Beast Boy whispered, his voice quivering. Cyborg ran over to the computer and shut off the sound, but he couldn't seem to get the flashing lights to turn off. He looked over the security footage of the main ops room. It showed them coming in and talking, then walking into the hallway, nothing… nothing… nothing….the alarm going off. He didn't understand; none of the doors or windows was opened, what was setting off the alarm?

The doors slid open and all three teenagers turned around, their hearts pounding in their chests. Nothing and no one was there. All they could see beyond the doors was an empty hallway filled with darkness. A faint thudding started to echo through the room, as if a small drum was beating. The Titans looked at each other, equally confused expressions on their faces. The thudding stopped, making all the teens freeze on the spot in anticipation. Cyborg aimed his cannon at the door and Starfire's hands lit up. Beast Boy was too much in shock to think about transforming at the moment.

A light beeping could be heard and a small red light blinked in the doorway. It was different from the red alarm lights on the roof and flashed at a faster frequency. The Titans remained rooted to the spot, staring at the light and listening to the beeping. They were preparing for the worst. The beeping became faster and faster until it stopped and then, _BOOM. _A cloud of smoke followed the small explosion and filled the front half of the room. Cyborg ran towards the smoke, shooting his cannon in the direction of the door, and Beast Boy transformed into a ram, running in after him. Out of the smoke came dozens and dozens of Sladebots.

This came as a surprise to the three, as Slade had been missing from Jump for over a year now, his only sighting being by Beast Boy at an abandoned carnival many months ago. Starfire flew into the crowd of Sladebots and started bombarding them with starbolts. Cyborg was shooting, kicking, and punching as many bots as possible, but the numbers were overwhelming. Beast Boy was transforming back and forth between different large and dangerous animals, never seeming to find the right one.

...

Across the tower, Robin and Raven were searching for the cause of the alarms. They had heard a small bang, but when they went to go investigate, a shadow flew by, distracting them. They knew that something must be happening, the others hadn't called and the bang sounded similar to a small explosion, but they had to find out what was lurking in the hallways. They had followed it in a circle for twenty minutes, consistently losing and finding it again. The sounds of fighting were carrying through the halls, but it was so faint that they couldn't tell what was going on.

"If we don't find it soon, I say we head back to the ops room and help the others with whatever they are fighting," Raven said.

"Yeah, I agr-", Robin began, before being cut off by the same sound he heard before, the muffled sound of a door closing. Upon looking around, Robin noticed that they were in the same spot that he had heard it before. He looked down the adjacent hallway at his bedroom door. He glanced at Raven and motioned for her to follow him.

They checked several rooms thoroughly before arriving at Robin's door. He motioned towards it, telling Raven that he was going to open it. She nodded and her hands began to glow black. The door swung open and Robin looked around, still standing in the doorway. The two continued in and combed the room, not missing a single crevice. Robin sighed out of frustration after coming up empty handed. What the hell was going on?!

Raven could feel that something was off, very off. She walked back into the hallway and stood in front of the door, looking up and down the hall; she was becoming increasingly worried about the situation. Robin was about to follow her out when she was thrown backwards, a small yelp escaping her lips. He ran to the door, but it slammed shut in front of him. He started to bang on the door, trying to break it down, but to no avail. The door had been made to keep out intruders, so it wouldn't be broken down easily.

Raven sat up, rubbing her forehead with her hand and looking around. She could see a figure standing at the end of the hall, but couldn't make it out. She stood up and shot black magic at it, chanting her mantra. It moved out of the way and ran at her, forcing her to run backwards. She stumbled on an object and fell to the ground, breaking her fall with her hands. The figure walked up to her and picked her up by the neck. She started clawing at it, trying to make it let go. She even tried to use her magic, but she couldn't concentrate properly with the lack of oxygen. It was too strong and she was choking. Unconsciousness started to consume her, enticing her with the promise of sleep. She opened her eyes, finally getting a good look at the figure, and gasped. It threw her against the wall, knocking her out cold. Her body slumped to the ground and the figure turned around, approaching Robin's door.

...

In the main ops room, the three Titans were still fighting off Sladebots. For every ten they defeated, twenty more came to take their place. They were losing, badly. They were being forced to retreat to the very back of the room, completely drained from all of the fighting. They didn't know how much more they could take before they passed out or were captured. Beast Boy was fighting eight bots at once and getting reamed. Starfire could make out his form ahead of her while she was fighting off her own bots; she could tell that he could only take so much more damage. She had turned to attack a group of bots that approached her from the side when suddenly, a large object flew past her head and slammed against the window, nearly shattering it.

Cyborg ran past her, looking panicked, and started yelling. She couldn't hear what he was saying; it was just a blur of words. Sladebots followed him and started to attack, beating him down. A group of five bots jumped onto Starfire, trying to force her to the ground. She had managed to shove them off at the last second and just when she thought that she couldn't take any more, they started to retreat. They had stopped attacking completely and were walking out into the hallway towards the elevator. She fell to the ground, completely worn. Why they were retreating, she didn't know, but she was too tired to care at the moment. She was in shock; everything was blurry, her vision, her hearing, everything.

She could hear a voice hysterically yelling, but she couldn't make out the words. Soon, the Slade bots had completely cleared the room, leaving it empty aside from the three Titans. After a few minutes, her hearing became clearer. "Come on BB, wake up! Get up man! BB!" She turned around, ready to collapse, and could see Cyborg leaning over a limp figure. "Come on BB! GET UP!" She looked at Beast Boy, lying on the floor underneath a cracked window, his head bleeding and his clothes torn to shreds. She wanted to get up and go over to him, she wanted to help Cyborg wake him, and she wanted to make sure he was okay, but she couldn't. She couldn't even think straight, she was so beyond in shock. So she sat there on her knees, watching Cyborg frantically try to wake up Beast Boy and listening to a light beeping sound in the distance.

...

Robin was pounding on the door; he had heard a loud thud against the wall and then total silence, the sounds of battle in the distance had completely stopped. "Raven! Are you okay? RAVEN?!" Robin's voice was frenzied. He had lost control of the situation, he had leaded his team into a trap and now they were all in peril because of it. Because of _him_… He didn't even know what was going on with the others; for all he knew, they could be getting slaughtered.  
He ran to the back of the room, preparing to ram the door, when he heard a loud click followed by a hiss. He looked around the room for the source of the sound, but couldn't see a thing. He ran to the light switch, flicking it up and down a few times before realizing that the lights were not working; except for the alarm lights in the hallways. He started pacing frantically in his room, trying to think of his next move and how he was going to get out of his room to help his team mates.

He was so tired. He had been chasing Red X all day and walking through the tower all night. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before either. Starfire wanted to stay up late and spend some time with him, which of course he didn't mind, but now he was regretting it. As he paced, he could feel his breathing beginning to slow; everything around him was becoming sluggish and starting to blur. He couldn't think straight, he was _so_ exhausted. He started to rub his eyes, trying to wake himself up.

He stopped pacing and sat down in his desk chair, deciding to rest his body for a moment. He couldn't fall asleep now; he had to save his friends! What was wrong with him! How could he possibly be falling asleep?! He yawned and his eyes began to droop. The room was becoming darker than it already was and he could hear a humming in his ears. He stood up and almost tumbled over from how weak his muscles were becoming, forcing him to grab onto the desk for support. He didn't understand why everything was so foggy, why he was so drowsy. He was trying to think back and remembered that sound. The _hiss!_ His legs began to shake from supporting his weight as he fought the urge to pass out.

He tried to move his leg, wanting to walk to the door, but it began to shake uncontrollably and eventually collapsed. He was now on his knees, clutching the desk and trying to pull himself back up with his forearms. His breathing was heavily and his legs were shaking violently. What was going on? Who was attacking them and _winning?!_

The door slid open and Robin heard a large **_BOOM_**. The entire room shook, causing him to crumple to the floor and hit his head on the edge of the desk. The room continued to shake lightly and Robin's ears began to ring from the loud noise. He was breathing deeply, desperately trying to cling to his consciousness as the darkness started to close in on him. All he could think of were his team mates, Starfire, fighting off attackers while he lay on the ground falling asleep. The last thing that he saw before slipping into oblivion was a pair of steel toed boots standing near his head, illuminated by the flashing red light.

So it was on that night, on the peaceful shores of Jump City, that an enormous cloud of smoke could be seen billowing out from the top of Titans Tower, where the main ops room would normally be located.

* * *

I would like to hear what you think and what you would maybe like to see in the future, so feel free to leave thoughts/comments/suggestions in your review.


	4. One Step Closer

-The disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Thank you for your support and fantastic reviews. I really enjoy reading them!

* * *

It was a beautiful, crisp summer morning. The sun had risen several hours before and was now high in the sky, reflecting off of the waters that surrounded Titans Tower. Birds were chirping outside and the city was now in full swing, people having started their days. The Tower was silent, the only sounds coming from the occasional creak that the building produced.

A young woman walked through the large doors into the main room and headed towards the kitchen, ready to start her day. She had already been reading for the past two hours, but she didn't consider her day started until she had her morning cup of tea. She walked over to the stove and placed a kettle full of water over a burner. She looked up at the clock on the microwave and was shocked to see that it was already eleven. She was always in the kitchen by ten, perhaps she had read a little bit longer than she had initially thought.

Across the room, another young adult was sitting at a computer, reading a composite of several articles. He could hear the sound of cabinets being opened and closed, but didn't turn to see who was in the room with him, he was too engrossed in his research. The woman poured the water into a mug and walked over to the couch, a book in her hand. She sat cross legged with the book spread out on her lap and swirled the spoon in her mug as she began to read.

The room remained like this for another hour, Cyborg sitting at the computer and Raven sitting on the couch. Every so often, the whoosh of a page being turned or the clacking of the computer keyboard could be heard. Both of them were too immersed in their activities to look up or acknowledge each other. This was often how mornings went for the Titans, no one speaking to each other and everyone off doing their own thing. Sometimes Beast Boy and Cyborg would play a video game, but it wasn't the same. Both of them knew that they were doing it just to cheer each other up, not that it ever really worked. They just needed to get their minds off of the situation, even if it was for a few minutes.

The doors slid open and a now more rested Starfire walked in, her hair still matted and flying everywhere. She did however change her clothes. Nobody looked up as she walked in and she sighed, walking into the kitchen. She didn't like cooking much anymore, so she just threw some bread into the toaster, no longer caring what she ate.

After eating her un-buttered toast in silence, Starfire walked over to Cyborg, wanting some form of friendly contact. She was getting so lonely and depressed. She stood next to him, looking curiously over his shoulder at the computer monitor. Cyborg clicked out of something, leaving the computer on the desktop screensaver. He turned and faced Starfire, a small smile on his face.

"What's up Star?" he asked, his tone friendly. She looked at him, her face full of innocence and naivety. She held her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her feet.

"What is it that you are looking at on the computer?" she asked, her voice sweet and curious. He scratched the back of his head and looked down.

"Um, I was just browsing the web, you know, random stuff." He looked back up at her face, hoping that she would leave it at that.

"Oh," she sighed. She was so trusting, it made Cyborg feel bad just thinking about it. "I guess I will leave you to the browsing of the web then." She looked at him hesitantly, hoping that he might stop her and ask her if she would like to do something. After a few moments of silence she turned around and trudged out of the room, her body slumping. Cyborg felt really bad, he knew that she could really use a friend right now, but he was too busy. He turned back to the computer and pulled up the webpage he was looking at before, re-reading a certain passage in it.

"What were you really looking at on the computer?" Raven asked, still looking down at her book. She could spot Cyborg's lies from a mile away, he was not a natural. She had a feeling that she knew why he had lied to Starfire; he always did so when he was searching for Robin. Cyborg stopped reading and took a deep breath.

"I am looking into that lead in New York," he sighed. Raven looked up, her face disbelieving.

"What, that thing that Beast Boy was going on about? That was asinine. You can't be serious." Her voice was impassive as usual, but one could hear a hint of condescension behind it. Cyborg exhaled, he knew how it sounded. He didn't believe it himself, but he had to give it a chance.

"Look, I promised Beast Boy that I would look into it. It was the only thing that would calm him down and get him to drop it. Plus, I have found some interesting things about the murders." Raven raised her eyebrows skeptically at him. She could not believe that he was falling for this pathetic excuse for a story. Beast Boy really did know how to stir up trouble. Seeing the look she was giving him, he decided to explain himself. "I am not saying that it is connected in any way to Robin, I am just saying that I found some interesting stuff on the guys."

Raven sighed; she came to the main room for peace, not this. She always assumed that she wouldn't have to put up with this with Cyborg. Was there no one that she could just sit in silence with? Starfire always cried and brought up Robin and Beast Boy was just an agitating presence to be near. Though, Cyborg _had_ always been more realistic with their searches for Robin, so she decided to just hear what he had to say. He could at least be reasoned with, unlike someone else. "Go ahead," she sighed.

"Well, you see, one of the guys who were murdered was known on the street to work for a major crime boss. From what I have read, he supposedly was in charge of 'keeping the peace', or choosing who was to be taken out of the picture," he paused and thought for a moment. "I don't think that he actually did the assassinations himself, but I know that he was in charge of them. Well at least that is what I believe to be true." He stood still, contemplating about what he had just read.

"What about the other?" she asked. He looked puzzled at the question, not understanding what she was asking. "The other, you said murders, plural."

"Oh, it was just his bodyguard, also known to work for major crime organizations such as drug cartels." He turned around to face the computer again, pulling up the website for the New York Post. Raven continued to watch him, thinking about what he just told her. It was interesting, but most likely not related to Robin in any way. Drug wars happened all the time; it could have been a cartel dispute or a disagreement with the mafia. He turned back towards Raven, his expression thoughtful. "I was thinking, Raven. You know how at the beginning, when Robin first got kidnapped, when we did a lot of research on Slade?" Raven nodded at him. "Well, remember how we learned that he was an assassin for hire. I just thought, maybe it could have been him, getting revenge for not getting paid for a job or something." Seeing the look he gave her, he raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "I am not saying that it is! I am just saying it is a possibility, we can't rule it out completely, you know?"

"So what do you want to do about it?" Raven asked. It was more of a theoretical question as she didn't believe that it was actually Slade. There were tons of assassins out there and who knows if it had even been an assassin acting? It could have been revenge for a previous wrongdoing, it could have been anything.

"I think we should just keep an eye on New York for a while. All I am saying is that we can't rule it out completely. It is at least worth looking into a little bit." Raven looked at him, thinking about all that he had said.

"Fine, but don't go telling Starfire, I don't want her getting her hopes up again. I don't think this has to do with Robin, but you are right, it is worth looking into." With that, she sat back down and continued to read her book, letting everything that Cyborg had said mull over in her head.

-Nearly Two Years Ago-

It was early in the morning and the sun was just coming up, still half concealed on the horizon. It had been several hours since Titans Tower had been attacked and the clouds of smoke had long since dissipated, exposing a massive hole in the top of the tower. Ash covered the ground around the tower, turning the small island a smoky grey. Inside, more ash coated the entire floor in the main ops room, or what was left of it. The only sounds inside the tower were those of objects collapsing and beams falling from the roof.

A soft moan sounded in a hallway far away from the ops room. Ash had managed to float its way through the hallways across the whole top floor and was swirling in the air. A young girl sat up, coughing, and grabbed her head. She felt like she had been hit with a truck. The smell of smoke filled her lungs, much to her distaste. She opened her eyes, trying to focus her vision as the room swirled.

"Ughhhh." She sat for a few more moments and watched the dust twirl in the air, a million tiny specks dancing in the light. Her mind was foggy and she couldn't quite think straight. "What happened?" she asked herself, feeling her headache worsen. She stood up and looked down the hallway, not quite recognizing where exactly in the tower she was. Her vision was still blurry and she couldn't read the nameplate on the door next to her. Where did all this dust come from? She walked down the hallways, curious to see what was going on, yet cautious as she saw the potential danger in the situation. She was in no condition to be using magic.

The further she walked, the thicker the dust became. At one point, it became so dense that she had to shield her mouth with her cloak just so that she could breathe. She continued to follow the thickening dust until she reached the front doors to the ops room. They were half shut and bent beyond repair, it looked like someone had attempted to ram it down or had thrown a small explosive at it. She wedged her way through the doors and walked into the room, or at least, what was left of the room. A giant gaping hole exposed the entire back end of the room and the sun could be seen where a wall should be. Half of the floor was missing as well, allowing her to see down into the floor below.

She walked carefully into the room, making sure that wherever she stepped didn't collapse under her. The kitchen remained mostly intact, though nothing would be functional and half of the appliances were bent, but it was still better than a gaping hole. The floor cut off shortly after the kitchen, leaving very little of the living room still standing. Everything was blackened and the room had a pungent burnt smell to it. She walked around, assessing the damage with disbelief. What the hell happened?!

There was debris everywhere and it was hard for her to tell what was what. Above her, a light was swinging back and forth, hanging narrowly by a wire. She looked down at her feet, which were now covered in ash, and examined the track marks she had left behind her. In the corner, some ash started to shuffle. The girl turned around, thinking that there might be an intruder, when she heard a sneeze. A very_feminine_ sneeze. She ran over to the lump in the corner and brushed the remaining ash off of it.

"Starfire, what happened?" Raven asked, her voice weak and strained. Her usual monotone was gone, but her face remained as stoic as ever. Starfire sat up and winced in pain. She may be a Tameranian, but she was not immune to muscle soreness, especially after a day like yesterday. Raven was bending down over her and looking at her face. She looked up at the empath in confusion before looking around the room, her face full of shock. "Starfire, what happened?" Raven asked, this time emphasizing the question. Starfire looked back up at Raven, her mind trying to catch up.

"W-we were attacked….and then…. I-I…" She continued to look around the room, straining to come up with the words. Her eyes began to swell with tears and Raven stood up. Where were the others? She walked over to the edge of the room and stood next to the hole. The floor below was lit with sunlight and pieces of their couch could be seen scattered across the floor. Raven could make out two forms, both lying completely still next to each other and covered with ash. She took a deep breath and concentrated, trying to summon some portion of her magic. Starfire stood up and started to walk around the room, remaining completely silent. Raven was now levitating down into the room below and had landed softly on the floor. She ran to the two lumps and brushed them off. Cyborg appeared to be okay, but Beast Boy looked horrific. He looked like the product of a slasher film. His head was sticky with dried up blood and his hair was now completely red. His clothes were ripped to shreds and he had gashes everywhere. Anywhere that there wasn't a cut, there was a bruise. Raven couldn't find one inch of his body that did not have an injury on it.

Starfire flew down and landed next to her. She dropped to her knees and started to shake Cyborg, trying to wake him up. Raven was not feeling at all well and did not know how much magic she could use, but decided to attempt to heal Beast Boy's head as it was a serious injury. She sat down and leaned over him, chanting her mantra while her hands glowed white. Cyborg began to stir next to her and she glanced over at him before looking back at Beast Boy.

"Oh, man," he moaned. Starfire watched him silently, her eyes glazed over. "What happened?" he asked. He could hear Raven chanting softly next to him as his mind started to flood with memories. He could see the Sladebots… Beast Boy being thrown against the window… A bright flash followed by a bang… He moaned again, now fully remembering the previous night's events. Raven had stopped chanting and was now sitting on her heels, looking down at Beast Boy. He was so damaged; she never wanted to see him like this, _ever._

"What exactly happened to you guys? And what happened to the ops room?" Raven knew that it was an explosion, but she wanted further detail. She looked over at Starfire and Cyborg, as both of them were now remembering.

"Sladebots. Hundreds of them. Attacked us in the ops room. We fought them, and then they suddenly just stopped…. I was trying to wake BB when a bomb went off, blew up the entire room… That's all I remember." Cyborg's voice was somber, none of his usual mirth and humor in it. Starfire nodded in conjecture, not having anything to add. She gazed at Beast Boy, looking at his blood soaked head. They were lucky to be alive. Starfire was the closest to the bomb, but since she was Tameranian, it only knocked her unconscious. Cyborg and Beast Boy, had they been any closer, would have died. Luckily, the floor collapsed under them, throwing them to the floor below and keeping them out of the worst of the explosion. "What happened to you?" Cyborg asked.

Raven sat there for a moment, trying to remember. "I think I was attacked by someone, I am not quite sure," she whispered. Why couldn't she remember? She could see images, flashes of a figure and red lights, but that was it. They sat in silence, no one knowing quite what to do or say. Cyborg looked at Beast Boy, watching his chest rise and fall steadily. He was so worried that Beast Boy wouldn't make it last night. He just hoped, begged that he would wake up soon, that he would be okay. Starfire looked up at Raven, a thought finally entering her mind.

"Raven, where is Robin?" she asked. Raven sat there for a moment, trying to think back, and then gasped, her memories now flooding back to her.

...

Robin began to stir, feeling groggy and confused. He could hear something in the distance, but he couldn't make it out. It sounded like someone was out calling to him. He rolled over and tried to wake himself up.

"Robin…" a voice called. It echoed in dead space, it was almost ambient. He listened intently, trying to figure out whose voice was calling him. His other senses started to return and he could feel his legs tingling.

"Robin…" He stretched and started to open his eyes. It was extremely bright and all he could see was stunning white light. Everything was blurred and he began to rub his eyes through the mask. The voice sounded very familiar, he knew it well.

"Starfire?" he groaned. He could hear her; she was calling out to him. He was so relieved to hear her voice; there was no one else in the world that he would rather see more right now. Where was she?

"ROBIN!" the voice yelled. Robin bolted up, alarmed by the sound of the voice. That was definitely not Starfire; it was a man's voice, deep and musky. His eyes began to adjust and Robin looked up, seeing a large figure standing tall over him. He knew that voice; it was a voice that he had never wanted to hear again. His vision focused and Robin could see him, _Slade_.

He jumped up, promptly falling off balance afterwards and grabbing his head. "Don't make any sudden movements. The toxin I used to gas you is still in your system," Slade said, his voice already condescending. Robin looked up at him, anger in his face. He ran towards him and threw a punch, which Slade quickly stopped. Gripping his fist, Slade threw Robin back to the ground. "What did I just say," he demanded.

Robin massaged his hand and looked up at Slade, his face defiant. "Let me go Slade! I don't know what you have planned, but whatever it is, you aren't going to get away with it!" he yelled. Where were the other Titans? He began to look around, but Slade was the only other person in the room. The room was moderately sized and extremely plain. The walls were an asylum white and the floors were a light brown wood. There was a twin bed along the wall to his right and a small dresser and desk to his left. He would go insane being stuck in this room for any more than an hour. "What did you do to my friends?!"

"Ah but you see Robin, I am going to get away with it," Slade retorted, his voice smooth and confident. "This time, you will not be getting away. This time, I will not make any mistakes with you," he declared. His eye was deadly and it gave Robin an uncomfortable feeling. He must have something planned; Robin was just thankful that he couldn't see his face under the mask. As much as he wanted to know who Slade was, he never wanted to see what was under that mask.

"Where are my friends?!" Robin yelled. He needed to be sure that they were okay, the last time he had seen them they had been running into battle, unbeknownst to them. He couldn't live with himself if something happened to them, to _her. _Slade continued to gaze down at Robin, annoyance already washing over him.

"There is no need to yell Robin. Your friends are at the Tower, they should be waking up just about now," he said. He did not intend to kill any of them, so he made sure that none of the Sladebots finished them off. Doing so would just give Robin nothing to lose, which would not be good for Slade's plans. Robin was relieved, but still furious. He didn't even know whether or not to trust Slade's word, though Slade was never known to lie when asked a direct question.

"So what the hell is this? Where am I? What am I doing with _you!_?" he spat. Slade did not like being spoken to in such a manner and slapped Robin hard across the face, leaving a large handprint on his face.

"You will not speak to me in such a manner. Things are not like they were before Robin. I will not put up with you talking back to me this time." At this Robin became concerned. '_This time'_… What did that mean? Robin had a feeling that he knew; he just hoped that he was wrong. "I assume that you are wondering why I kidnapped you." Robin glared at him, wanting to tell him just what he thought of him, but feeling the fresh handprint on his face, thought it best to hold back his tongue. Slade took Robin's silence as a yes.

"You are going to be my apprentice again Robin. Though, like I said, things will be different this time. I will not tolerate any disobedience,_ whatsoever_," he emphasized the last word. Robin could not believe what he was hearing; did Slade not learn his lesson last time? What was his problem?

"The Titans are going to know exactly what you are doing. You can't threaten me with their lives anymore; so I guess your little plan isn't going to work," Robin said, his voice mocking. Slade had come very close to beating the living hell out of Robin right there, but decided against it. He needed Robin awake for the rest of his speech.

"Ah, but Robin, I am not going to threaten your friends' lives this time." Robin looked genuinely confused and caught off guard at the statement, much to Slade's gratification. Slade smirked under his mask, very happy with how things were going.

"So how the hell do you plan on keeping me here? You think I am just going to be your apprentice for fun?!" Slade chuckled darkly and Robin's stomach flipped. What did Slade have planned to keep him here? By the sound of that laugh, it couldn't be good.

"You _are _going to be my apprentice and I will tell you this only once. If you defy me in any way, either by trying to escape or by contacting the Titans, I will kill someone; doesn't matter who. There will be no warnings, so I suggest that you be a good boy and follow orders from the start. I know that you wouldn't want innocent blood on your hands." Robin stared daggers at Slade, how could someone be so sick?! To kill innocent people, just to acquire an apprentice! This man was mentally ill; of course Robin always knew that. He didn't know what to think, was Slade actually serious about this?

"What, so you are going to randomly kill someone every time I try to escape?!" Slade was evil, but not that evil. Was he? Robin had never seen him kill anyone, he had just never thought about it before.

"Not just if you try to escape, but if you defy me in any way. And I assure you, it will not be some random shooting on the street, it will be in cold blood, right in front of you... Do not doubt me," he added. He was quite scary when he talked so casually about murder, it was unsettling, but Robin didn't want to admit that he feared the man. Surely he wouldn't kill innocent people! Robin just gaped at him, not knowing what to say.

Slade smiled, feeling satisfied with how things went. "Good, we start training tomorrow." He turned around and walked to the door. Robin jumped up and abruptly ran after him, he did not want to be trapped in this room. Slade walked through the door and slammed it shut in Robin's face, leaving him to pound on the door for an hour before finally sitting down on the bed to drown in his thoughts.

-Present Day-

It had been several hours since Cyborg and Raven's talk. Raven had retreated to the roof to meditate and Cyborg had looked over the recent news in New York. After finding nothing more of interest, he went to work out in the gym. Just as Raven had her meditation, Cyborg had his work outs as a way to escape. He liked being distracted, even if it was just for an hour. Being able to focus on something positive helped him to cope with the situation. He was in the middle of lifting heavy weights, having finished his cardio earlier, when the doors slid open. A young teen walked into the room and approached him.

Cyborg looked up, straining to hold the weights. Beast Boy was looking down at him expectantly. He took in another breath and lowered the weights with a grunt. He sat up and wiped his forehead with a towel that had been lying on the bench. "What's up, BB?" he asked, although he knew exactly what Beast Boy was here for.

"Did you look into the lead I found?" Cyborg looked at him for a few moments, breathing heavily. "You know? The one in New York?! Don't tell me you already forgot, because you promised!" Beast Boy really wanted Cyborg to believe him and he couldn't do that without at least looking into it.

"No, BB, I didn't forget. I looked into it this morning, just like I said I would," Cyborg reassured. He didn't exactly want to tell Beast Boy about what he found and he certainly didn't want to encourage him. Beast Boy had a way of getting too excited about leads; it wasn't good for the team. Beast Boy raised his eyebrows with anticipation.

"Well? What do you think?" he asked nervously.

"I think that something could be going on in New York," Beast Boy jumped up in excitement and Cyborg raised his hands, indicating for him to stop. "That doesn't mean that it has anything to do with Robin though, so don't go getting your hopes up, BB." Cyborg stood up and walked over to the water cooler. "Now, don't tell Raven that I told you this, but we are going to keep an eye on things in New York. Just as a precaution," he added. He hoped this would satisfy Beast Boy, at least enough to get him to drop it from daily conversation.

"So you _do _think it's Robin!" Beast Boy declared, excitement swelling up in him. Cyborg turned around, a cup of water in his hand.

"I never said that! I only said that we were going to keep an eye out on New York, don't go making a big thing out of this Beast Boy." Cyborg looked down at him, his expression commanding. Beast Boy was just so beyond thrilled that Cyborg was even considering it that he didn't care if they were only "keeping an eye out" on New York. They were one step closer to finding Robin and that's all that mattered.

* * *

Thank you for reading and I hope you are enjoying it so far.


	5. A Lesson Learned

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Warning: This chapter has dark content.

* * *

Robin walked into the same large room that he had dropped the file off in. It was their "base" room, or so they called it. It was where Robin came to receive missions, plan tactical moves, report things, etc. It was basically their work room, where most of their operations were planned, except for on a few rare occasions. He spent most of his time there and had become very familiar with it; it was practically his second bedroom.

The room was rectangular and very long. Most of the walls were lined with work benches that held various objects, most of them broken weapons or prototypes that Slade was working on. In the center of the room was a large square table with two chairs, one on each end. In front of each chair was a small screen that they could use as a computer. This was where they sat to discuss missions and plans. At the far end of the room was Slade's desk/work table. There were several large filing cabinets that lined the wall next to it, each filled with documents and blueprints. Slade had another "private" office somewhere else in the building, but Robin had never seen it. He learned not to go snooping around Slade's stuff, something that he had gotten punished for a lot at the beginning of his apprenticeship.

Above the desk were three large screens that showed mostly security camera footage, but occasionally showed digital blueprints or footage of their targets. On the far right end of the room was a large metal door with no handle. A keypad and face recognition scanner was the only way to open the door and it only opened for Slade. Through the door was a large room filled with weapons of every kind, from manual weapons such as staffs and blades, to automatic weapons such as guns and explosives. Whenever Robin would go on a mission, Slade would open the room and let him choose his weapons, provided that he approved of his choices.

Robin was supposed to meet Slade in the base room after his training; he trained alone on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. After a year, Slade no longer saw a need to train Robin every day; he could train by himself sufficiently. Of course, Slade still trained him twice a week, just to make sure he was keeping up with his technique. Slade was standing at the head of the table, waiting for Robin's arrival so that they could start the meeting. He needed to debrief Robin on some important plans. Upon seeing Robin, he sat down and placed his hands on the desk. Robin's face was flushed and sweat dripped down his cheek; he must have _just_ come from training. He sat down, his expression passive, and looked at Slade.

"I assume that you were running late and could not shower?" Slade asked, noting Robin's less than presentable appearance. Robin did not reply, but turned his attention to the screen in front of him. Most of the files and documents that Slade showed him were on the computer, he rarely had paper records handed to him. "Let us get started then," Slade said as he began to type on his screen.

"Our first order of business: the assassin. The file that you retrieved for me from Mark Tollera proved useful in the search." Robin thought back to the poor man that he had had the fortune of meeting…_ and killing_… two days ago. "In fact, his bodyguard," he looked down at the screen, searching for the name, "…Bryan Jervaise… was who led me to the answer." Slade scrolled across several documents. "You see, Bryan, like the idiot he was, decided it best to suggest hiring his own sibling to his boss, thus making them easier to track." He sent a file to Robin which appeared on his screen moments later. "Yvette Bouyan," Slade said. Robin looked at the profile for a moment before looking up at Slade.

"A woman?" Robin asked, looking back down at the picture. The woman had a very thin face and thick, long black hair; she was actually quite beautiful.

"A high profile assassin; one who took out our target and one who needs to be taken care of," Slade stated. Robin looked over her stats; she seemed to be very highly trained with weaponry, specifically blades. He looked over the list of her jobs performed and recognized the names of several world leaders who had been assassinated over the past few years. This would not be an easy target. "She is of high priority right now and we cannot move on with our plans with her out there. I am sure that she received word that her brother was murdered and I am certain that she will not be happy." Robin finished reading her profile and looked to Slade.

"So, she and Jervaise are siblings? How is that so?" he asked. They did not share a last name; did she change her name when she became an assassin? Slade looked over at him, his face in amazement from the stupidity of the question.

"Half-brother, they have different fathers and thus different last names. Any more intelligent questions before we continue?" Slade asked, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm. Robin just passed it off, he was used to being spoken down to, it was normal for him. He actually would feel out of place if someone spoke to him kindly.

"Am I going to be taking her out on my own? I see that she is extremely skilled," Robin pointed out. He was good, but so was she. He wasn't certain how long it would take him to kill her.

"We will discuss plans about her assassination tomorrow; right now we need to move on." Slade sent Robin a new document and Robin started reading through it. "As for Victor Wyatte, I have acquired a list of his men. Along with that is the location and blueprints of his hideout. As you should know, it is heavily guarded, but it is nothing that we haven't done before." Robin continued to look over his profile; they had been studying this man for months now.

Victor Wyatte was _the_ major crime boss in the city. He ran all organized crime throughout the city and the state of New York. The drug cartels reported to him, the mafia reported to him, even the city government reported to him. He owned everything and everyone, and that was why Slade wanted him dead. Over the past two years, Robin and Slade had been secretly taking over major cities in every important country across the world. They would start by taking down the drug cartels and picking away at the mafia until they found the leader that controlled it all. Then, they would take him down and take his place.

After replacing the dominate crime boss, they would then run the organized crime quietly from the next city. And so that was their routine, infiltrate, take down, move on. At the moment, Slade was controlling at least seven cities and their surrounding areas. Some cities were easier to gain control of and only took them a few weeks. Others, like New York, took months to finish. It just depended on the strength of the system that each crime boss had created.

"I intend to finish the mission within the next month; I would like to move on to Paris soon. I have received word that it is very weak over there and thus an easy target for us." Slade began swiping through various files on Victor, calculating his next move.

"Do you think that we will be ready within a month?" Robin asked and Slade looked up at him. It was a perfectly good question. They were not exactly as close as they normally would be to begin a take down. Plus, they had the assassin to take care of.

"At the rate we are going, yes. I do realize however, that Yvette set us back in our plans. Since _she_ took out our target, our message was not sent to Victor. As of now, he has no idea that we have been picking off his men. That is why I would like us to meet here every day at seven p.m. sharp. We will work until eleven every night until we are ready to strike. Even on Sundays," he added. Sundays were Robin's day off, though he was limited to what he could do. Slade had reasoned that letting Robin out would make him feel like less of a prisoner, but it just ended up making him feel more like one. During the beginning of his apprenticeship, he was required to stay in their hideout, but as Slade began to trust him, he was allowed to go out. Of course, Slade didn't let him out until he was certain that he had broken him. The moment that he had walked back to the base on his own was when Slade knew that Robin was truly _his._ It was a true moment of victory and he relished it with every fiber of his being.

Robin was given a certain range of distance that he was allowed to go; of course the usual rules applied: no contacting anyone, no escaping, etc. He normally just walked around, but sometimes he would watch people at malls. He didn't know exactly why, but something about watching other people be happy interested him. Of course, when there was a mission that happened to fall on a Sunday, he would lose his day off.

"We will begin the new schedule tomorrow; you will have to move your combat practice back to three and cancel your French studies until further notice." Slade was peering at Robin over his screen, making sure that he was taking note of the change. "I am sending you a new schedule right now." Robin looked over his schedule; he was going to be losing his Sundays for the next month. "Any questions?" Slade asked.

"No," Robin replied, his voice as emotionless as ever.

"Then you may leave." Robin shut his screen and stood up. He was ready to eat dinner after working so hard today in the gym. He didn't particularly enjoy food, but it occupied time, which was all he cared about. "Oh and Robin," Slade murmured. Robin turned around and looked at his master. "I have a mission for you," he threw a file across the table, "I expect you to complete it _after_our meeting." With that, Robin grabbed the file and walked out of the room.

* * *

-Almost two years ago-

It had been one week since Robin had been taken prisoner by Slade and he was already frantically searching for a way to escape. His only problem was whether or not Slade's threat was real. He wasn't quite certain and went back on forth on the issue. He had to be exaggerating. Even if it was real, he wouldn't do it on Robin's first try, would he? Robin was going insane already. All he did was train while Slade criticized his form and technique. Though, one couldn't forget all the beatings he had already gotten from talking back. They were becoming a part of his daily routine. He knew that they would stop if he just submitted without question, but he couldn't let that happen. He would not just _accept _this as his fate! This was not where he belonged! He belonged with the Titans. With his friends!

Robin had kicked the heavy bag for the last time and Slade told him to go take a five minute break. They had been training for five hours already and Robin was exhausted. He always thought that he was in pretty good shape, but Slade had managed to prove him wrong. It was almost embarrassing, for both parties. Slade watched as Robin walked to the corner to get water. He was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. Was this seriously all that he had? He must have gotten lazy over the past year and it was unacceptable! He was going to have to fix that, and fast, if Robin was going to be of any use. Slade wanted to be in Berlin within two months and Robin was in no condition to begin his work as an assassin. Not only was his body weak, but he had no training with guns whatsoever. Slade had his work cut out for him and was not happy about it.

"Break's over, get back over here and fix your form!" His kicks had been week and his toes were way too turned in, he was going to end up breaking his foot. Robin huffed his way over and stood in front of the bag. "Fix your stance! You can't fix your kicks if you aren't even standing correctly." Robin was becoming extremely sick of being talked down to, especially in that smooth, annoying voice. He missed his friend's encouraging voices; he missed Cyborg's motivational speech and Starfire's enthusiastic encouragement. He missed the sound of her voice in his ears, so sweet and beautiful.

"Kick higher," Slade commanded. Robin was becoming frustrated beyond all belief and just started to kick the bag with all of his strength. "You are hopeless. You are becoming flustered and your form is suffering because of it." Slade grabbed Robin's leg on the next kick and turned his foot out. "How do you expect to defeat an opponent when you fall apart under pressure? Do you think that this is how professionals behave? You are going to get murdered if you don't start concentrating!" Robin pulled his leg out of Slade's grip and fell to the floor.

"So what?! At least then I wouldn't have to live with _you _anymore!" At this, Slade became furious. He walked towards Robin, who started to crawl backwards before kicking himself up onto his feet. Slade sideswiped Robin's legs, but Robin jumped at the last minute. He retaliated with a punch, which Slade caught.

"See? Poor form," Slade pointed out. Robin tried to pull his arm away, but Slade flipped him around and twisted his arm until he fell to the floor. Robin's arm felt like it was going to split in two any moment and Slade tightened his grip. "All of your complaining is just harming you, so I would suggest shutting your mouth before you regret it." He threw Robin to the ground and walked back to the bag. Robin sat on the floor, staring furiously at Slade. "Get up and kick the bag," he demanded.

"NO!" Robin yelled. He was done! He wasn't going to do this anymore. He didn't care what happened; Slade was just going to have to deal with it. Slade took a step forward and stared Robin down.

"Get up and kick the bag," he said, his voice low and dangerous. Robin stood up and crossed his arms.

"NO." That was it, Slade was done. He thought that Robin would have heeded his warning, but it looked like he was going to have to teach him a lesson. He didn't expect it to happen so soon though. He threw Robin to the floor and kicked him in the stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs. As Robin laid there heaving and desperately trying to breathe, Slade grabbed his arms and dragged him down the hall. Robin began to kick and fight against him, but he had too firm of a grip on his wrists.

"LET ME GO! Let me go, you lunatic!" Robin yelled as Slade dragged him down the hall. They arrived at a door and Slade opened it with one hand while holding both of Robin's wrists in the other. He threw him against the back wall and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. Robin looked around at the room; it was completely white from the walls to the tile and there were no windows. He felt like he should be in a strait jacket. Was this Slade's punishment? Solitary confinement? Robin could handle that; he could even come up with an escape plan while he sat there.

...

Robin had been sitting in that room for what seemed like a day. He was going insane! He was starving and his stomach was making very loud grumbling noises. He was also desperate to use a bathroom; he was seriously debating about peeing in the corner across the room. There was no sound in the room and he couldn't tell time. For all he knew, he could have been in there for only a few hours. He felt like he was in the void of space, just filled with light instead of darkness. He had assumed that Slade would be back reasonably soon, but he was sorely mistaken. This really was punishment and Robin was now regretting his actions. Why did he not just get up and kick the damn bag?!

He heard a click and the door swung open. Robin stood up, preparing to bolt out of the door to find a bathroom, when he saw that Slade wasn't alone. Standing next to him was a young boy, most likely no older than ten. He was sniffling and his face was covered in tear tracks. His eyes were light blue, despite being bloodshot from crying. He had very untidy, scruffy brown hair and his clothes looked to be a size too large. He was very pale and brown freckles lined his nose and forehead. They were so light that they almost looked like he had specs of dirt on his face. The young boy looked so tiny and frail next to Slade. His head reached Slade's midsection and his waist was about the size of Slade's arm.

Slade walked him further into the room after shutting the door behind him. The boy was whimpering and Slade tightened his grip on his arm; he would certainly have bruises later on. Robin's mind immediately jumped to one conclusion and he looked at the boy with fear, praying that his assumption was wrong. The boy was so young; he looked to be around the same age that Robin was when he had lost his parents. He honestly reminded Robin a lot of himself when he was that age: scared, alone,_ weak_. Slade wouldn't, the boy was too young, he couldn't!

"You see this young man?" Slade asked the little boy, indicating towards Robin. "He is the reason that you are going to die." The boy started to cry profusely and Robin looked at him in shock. Slade wouldn't! He couldn't! The boy was so innocent! And all because Robin wouldn't kick a heavy bag? Slade pulled out a large handgun from his back holster and pointed it at the boy's head, the whole time looking at Robin.

"NO! STOP!" Robin shouted. He had to stop him, he _had to. _"I'm sorry! I'll listen from now on! I promise! Just, please stop!" Robin pleaded. He could not witness this. This was just plain evil! Slade pressed the gun against the boy's head, causing him to start screaming in fear. "SLADE! STOP! I will do whatever you say! Please, just STOP!" Robin was getting desperate, he had no weapons on him and he knew that if he made a move towards Slade, it would be the last thing that the child ever saw.

"It is too late Robin; I told you that there would be no warnings. Maybe next time you will think before you act," Slade said, his voice eerily calm. Slade cocked the gun and Robin began to run towards him.

"NOOOOO!" –_BANG- _Robin stopped in his tracks, his body going into shock. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. The boy fell to the floor and Robin watched as blood began to pour out of his head. That didn't just happen, he didn't just see that.

"Perhaps now, you will heed my warning," Slade said. He turned around and walked out of the room, locking the door behind him. He figured that he would let Robin sit in the room for a while to really let it _sink in_. This should make him more obedient. Slade didn't normally kill children, but he figured that it would be best for the lesson that he was teaching. Now, Robin would have innocent blood on his hands and Slade knew that he would do anything to prevent it from happening again. Slade was quite pleased with himself; he was certain that he was a large step closer to breaking Robin. After all, everyone has a breaking point, including the boy wonder.

Robin fell to his knees, staring in shock at the horror across from him. It was his fault, all his fault! That child died because of him, because he couldn't just do what Slade asked… No! He would not take the blame! It was Slade who killed the kid, not Robin! He is the psychopath! …But he did warn Robin, and Robin ignored it. Why couldn't he have just listened?! That boy did not deserve to die because of him. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he was the reason that the child was dead. It really was all his fault; there was no denying it…

A pool of blood was forming around the body and making its way towards him. He began to crawl backwards, not wanting the blood to reach him. The child really did remind him of himself as a young boy. Did Slade do that on purpose? Did he pick a young child so remnant of Robin for some kind of poetic justice thing? Except that it wasn't justice, it was the exact opposite. Robin was now curled up in a ball in the corner of the room, his body going numb and his face blank from disbelief.

...

Slade came to retrieve him several hours later and was forced to carry him out of the room. Robin was too much in shock from what he had witnessed to even respond to Slade. After that, Robin wasn't the same. He wasn't broken yet, not by a long shot, but he had definitely lost the fight in him. He no longer fought against his training, against Slade. _He had learned his lesson_.

* * *

I apologize for the child death, but it was necessary.

As always, I love to hear from you!


	6. Little Green Phial

-The disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Remember, this story _i__s_ rated M for mature... so please do not flame me because of what happened in the last chapter... Thank you!

Also, thank you for all of the follows, favorites, and reviews!

* * *

It was late at night; in fact it was almost technically the morning. Robin looked at his watch, _11:52 p.m._ He had been up for almost an entire twenty-four hours and was ready to go home and climb into his bed. Unfortunately, he still had work to do; and he could not put it off any longer. If Robin did not come home with his target, well, he preferred not to think about what would happen. Slade had become more lenient over the past year, letting Robin choose when he went on missions, but not for this job. He wanted it done today. They would need it soon.

Robin sat on the top of a roof, watching a large building across the street with binoculars. The building had a large sign that lit up the entire street, _Neuro Link Inc_. It was a new biotech company that was working on several projects at the moment, one of which Slade wanted. Robin was studying the guards, or so called "security", walking around the front of the building. Robin could tell that they were not very well trained. His biggest concern was the security system. Even though the company was still relatively new, it was backed by a large sum of government funds that protected it from theft. The building's security was top of the line, but then again, this was Robin. He was a master thief and assassin.

Robin continued to watch as the guards walked around the entrance of the building. He hoped to sneak into the building without arising suspicion so that he didn't have to kill any of them. It wasn't that he was averse to killing, he had become plenty used to that; he just didn't want to alert anyone to the theft. All he would need is for_ that_ to show up on the news. They were trying to keep a low profile at the moment; at least until they were ready to take down the crime boss, Victor Wyatte. By then, they would practically have one foot out of the city and be ready to move on. Thus, if anyone even discovered that something was going on in the city, they would be long gone.

Robin had been watching the building for nearly a half hour and felt ready to begin. He noticed that the guards would only round around the building once every ten minutes, which gave him plenty of time to break in. Across the street, a shadow could be seen scaling down an indistinct building in complete silence. Robin landed on the floor with a soft thud and placed his grappling hook back into his belt before running off to the building across the street. He scaled along the building, keeping his eyes open for bystanders, and made his way towards the back. The only sounds that could be heard were those of the guards talking and cars driving along the street. Robin could feel a familiar feeling creeping upon him, a certain rush. Missions were the only thing that made him feel that way. He wasn't certain whether or not he even liked it; he preferred the numbness that he had become accustomed to. He stopped at the back corner of the building and looked around; making sure that no one was coming before squatting down and pulling out a drill. He began to drill several bolts out of a vent.

After thirty seconds of speedy drilling worthy of a race track, Robin opened the vent and climbed in legs first. He was about to begin drilling the vent shut when he heard voices approaching.

"So, do you even know what they make here? Like, what is it that they are working on that is _so_ important? I mean really," a man's voice said. Robin stayed still, holding the vent in its place.

"I don't know man; all I know is that they pay me to walk around all day. So, I don't really care," another man's voice replied. Two pairs of legs passed by the vent and walked towards the front of the building. Neither of the guards had noticed the fingers in the vent or the bolts lying on the floor. "What _professionals_," Robin thought. He opened the vent and grabbed the remaining bolts from the ground before drilling it shut.

Inside the vent, Robin pulled up the blueprints for the building on his watch, which projected them in front of him. He had come to love his watch, especially in situations where he couldn't carry giant blueprints in his pockets. He needed to make his way to the main control room, and considering that the whole building was laced with cameras, the hallways were off limits. So, he was confined to the ventilation system. After getting a good look at the map, Robin began to worm his way through the system of vents. The security room was on the second floor, so Robin was going to have to make his way up after reaching the very back of the building. He really did seem to get the worst end of things when it came to Slade. He always was given the tedious and uncomfortable missions. It used to really bother him, but now he really didn't care what he did anymore. He was more or less a walking shell… a robot that Slade commanded... and it didn't bother him in the slightest…

He had been crawling through the vents for twenty minutes, discreet as a puff of smoke in the wind. It was extremely hot and stuffy and Robin was beginning to sweat. He felt like he was in a furnace; what he would give for some fresh air. On top of that, he had crawled through at least ten spider webs. He came to a fork, one way leading up and the other leading down. He kicked his legs up and landed in the top vent. He began to crawl upwards, trying his best not to slip from the sweat on his hands.

After another ten minutes of crawling, Robin stopped at a vent and kicked it open. There was a camera in the corner, but its range of vision left a rather large blind spot towards the right side of the room. Robin lowered his body out of the vent, being careful to keep it out of the range of the camera and swung himself over to the right corner. He pulled a small device out of his belt and placed it on the wall before crawling back up into the vent. He just hoped that his legs weren't caught in mid swing by the camera. Upon re-entering, he closed the vent behind him and continued on, making his way through the maze of turns. He looked at his watch, it was now past one. Hopefully he would be out of here by two; he really wanted to go to sleep.

He stopped before another vent and sat down, peeking into the room below. There were about ten screens on the wall and a large computer below them, controlling every security measure that the building had. Inside sat three men, one absentmindedly watching the screens and the other two chatting with coffee in their hands. Did anyone take this job seriously? They are practically asking to be robbed. Not that Robin cared; it just made his job easier. Though, he had to admit that he was hoping for a bit of a challenge. Robin sat up and pulled a remote out of his belt. Making sure that at least one person was watching the screens, he pushed a large button.

"Whoa! Did you guys see that?" the man watching the screens asked. The other two looked over and began to watch the screens.

"I don't see anything…" a tall red-headed man said. He didn't feel like getting up to check on anything.

"There was a flash on camera seven. Here, I'll play it again," the first man said as he began to type on the computer. A replay of the massive flash of light showed on the screen and the man sat back, waiting to hear his co-workers responses.

"Sooo…. What? It was a flash, probably just a problem with the camera." The third man sat silently as his two co-workers talked, not caring to say anything. He was playing with the edges of his coffee mug and looking at the screen.

"Well, it came from the records room. If something got stolen, we would be dead. We would be beyond fired! Just go check on it, okay?" The man had worked security for other companies before and had learned one thing, you can never be too careful.

"Ughhh, fine, but after this, you owe me a doughnut," the red- headed man joked. "How about you, Jerry? You have been silent this entire time, why don't you come with me on my field trip?" The man named Jerry looked at him and shrugged, placing his coffee mug on a nearby table. The two left the room and the third turned back around to watch the screens. Robin could hear a conversation between the two workers as the door shut behind them. "Can you believe this? Checking on a flash of light, this is ridiculous."

"At least we have something to do besides swivel in our chairs," the man named Jerry replied. Both laughed and continued walking, taking their time in going to the source of the flash. Neither believed that it was anything, so neither cared to move faster. Not like they had anything to rush back to anyways.

Robin had expected for all three to go investigate, but nevertheless, he was prepared. He pulled out a small can and aimed it through the vent into the room. It cracked and a faint hiss could be heard, though not unnoticed by the man. He looked around intently for about a minute before falling out of his chair onto the floor. Robin kicked the vent open and dropped into the room. He walked over to the computer and began to type. A password request popped up, preventing Robin from going further. He looked up at the screens; the two men were still walking towards the records room at a leisurely pace. _What idiots… _Robin pulled a flash drive out of his belt and plugged it into the computer. Within seconds the password screen disappeared.

He continued to type as the flash drive did its work. All of the surveillance screens reset and were now on a continuous loop. Rather than seeing the two guards walking in the hallway, Robin saw an empty corridor. He turned off all of the cameras and bypassed the alarm. Now, not even the silent alarm could be set off. He could blow up an entire room and no one would know, not that he intended to. He pulled the flash drive out and set the screen back to its original state. The man was lying asleep on the floor and Robin walked over to pick him up. After placing him in his chair, Robin closed the vent and walked out into the hallway. A few minutes later the two men showed up and laughed at the man sleeping in his chair. "I guess we aren't the only ones bored out of our minds!"

Robin walked into an empty room and pulled a lab suit out of a small backpack that he had been carrying. It was all white, except for a black label on its right lapel that said _Neuro Link Inc. _Slade had made the suit to look exactly like the suits that the scientists wore, thus allowing Robin to walk into the lab without arising suspicion. After changing into his suit, Robin threw the backpack into the nearest trash can and walked back into the hallway. He was on the second floor, but needed to get to the seventh, where the lab was located. He headed towards the stairwell, not wanting to be seen in the elevator by others. He may have the suit, but that doesn't mean that he had the face to match it. Someone might not recognize him and start asking questions, and he didn't feel like having to strangle someone to death today.

He ran up the stairs until he reached the seventh floor landing. In the hallways, various workers could see a young scientist walking towards the lab, already dressed in his suit. It was a slightly odd sight for them, as the scientists didn't normally walk around in their suits outside of the lab. Robin approached the door and saw that a keycard was needed to get in. Suspecting that this might happen, he had stolen the passed out security guard's keycard as a precautionary measure. He figured that security guards could get into any room.

After swiping the card, he entered the lab, where twelve other workers in lab suits were walking around doing various tasks. Most were carrying chemicals and little phials, some of which Robin could identify. Slade wanted Robin to know his way around certain subjects and forced him to study Chemistry during their first year together. It did come in useful, especially when mixing poisons and making bombs. Robin walked the length of the room, looking around as inconspicuously as possible. He needed to look like he knew his way around the lab.

The room was filled with large and expensive looking equipment, most of which Robin had no idea the use of. He may know some Chemistry, but this looked like something out of a science fiction movie to him. At the far end of the room was a large metal door with a label on it, '_Caution: dangerous chemicals'._ This was where it must be. This room was protected by a keypad and of course, Robin didn't know the code. He fished through his pockets before coming across another, smaller flash drive. He plugged it in and overrode the system, forcing the door to open.

He walked in and looked around the small room. It was like a giant refrigerator, he could even see his breath in the air. There were several rows of shelves to each side of him, all covered in jars and phials. He scanned through each shelf, looking for a certain label. There were chemicals of all types in here; it was like a scientist's dream. Robin came across several bottles that he wouldn't have minded stealing for himself, but thought it best not to; better to not raise suspicion. He continued to search through the shelves, scanning every label. _There it was_, sitting pretty on the third shelf to his left. He picked the tiny bottle up and examined it. It was green and about the size of his index finger. He quickly pocketed it and pulled out an identical bottle to put in its place. He was about to make his way out when an alarm sounded and the door slammed shut. All of the scientists stopped what they were doing and looked over at the room.

"Shit," Robin exclaimed under his breath. He was in trouble now… He had turned off the alarm, the cameras… What the hell? There must have been a separate alarm for this room that he did not know about. Why didn't it go off when he hacked the keypad? Perhaps the alarm reset itself, or maybe the guard woke up. The guard didn't see anything though; he was supposed to think that he just fell asleep… Whatever it was, it didn't matter anymore. It was too late; Robin was caught. Now the police would know that Nero Link Inc. was robbed. _Great_…

Robin placed a round device on the door and within a few seconds it was blown out of its frame. There was no going back now. He placed several other devices along each of the shelves and walked out of the room, stepping on the bent door. Another several explosions went off inside the room, knocking the shelves over and breaking all of the bottles. The scientists began to run out of the room, several shrieking along the way. For all they knew, he was trying to blow up the entire lab as some sort of sabotage to their experiments.

Robin bolted out of the room; guards would start showing up soon and he needed to disappear. He had not prepared for a quick escape. This was supposed to be a completely silent heist; he was supposed to have time to sleuth out with grace. He started stripping out of his suit as he ran towards the stairs. Several guards came out of the elevator just as Robin ran into the stairwell. They sprinted to the lab, not seeing the door close next to them. Robin began to jump down from rail to rail, not wanting to take the time to actually run down the stairs.

Somewhere around the third floor, several men ran into the stairwell and saw Robin jumping down. They followed suit and caught up to him at the floor below, surrounding him in a swarm of men. "Stop!" One guard shouted and Robin froze in place. The man was very large and muscular; he would probably be quite intimidating to most people, but not Robin. After all, Robin did work for the most frightening and menacing assassin out there.

Robin looked around at all the men pointing guns at him. "Now slowly put your hands up where I can see them!" Robin looked at the man, a smile creeping up on his face. It frightened the other guards quite a bit; it was not a natural smile, but something that you would expect to come from a monster. It was almost inhuman. Robin began to raise his arms slowly above his head and the guards looked at him, feeling that something was off. The head guard put his gun away and started to walk towards Robin with handcuffs. He stopped as Robin began to open his own hand, showing them all a small circular devise in his palm. The guards began to run backwards, assuming that it was a bomb. None of them signed up to be blown up when they had accepted the job. Robin threw it to the ground at the feet of the large guard that had been approaching him, ready to get the hell out of there.

Giant clouds of smoke filled the entire second floor landing and all the guards began coughing. Within seconds Robin was gone, phial in hand. As the smoke cleared, everyone could see the burly guard passed out on the floor, his hands cuffed to the stair rails. By the time that the police showed up, Robin was several blocks over, watching the scene from a rooftop with his binoculars.

He may have gotten caught, but at least they wouldn't know what was stolen. In fact, they might not even think that he had stolen anything at all; they might just assume that it was an attack on the company. Robin just hoped that they believed that, or else blowing up the entire room's contents would have been in vain. Robin stood up, putting his binoculars back into his belt, and ran off into the night. A light clink could be heard on the street below as a small handcuff key fell from the roof, where Robin had been sitting a moment ago.

-Nearly two years ago-

It had now been two weeks since Robin was kidnapped and he was sitting at the table in the kitchen, absentmindedly playing with his thumbs. Light streamed in from the window as the sun came up and Robin gazed at one of the streaks that it made on the table. He _was_ going to make himself breakfast, but just didn't find the motivation to do so once he got there. He sat in silence with a blank stare on his face for another half hour until Slade came in the room. He walked over to the fridge without so much as a glance towards Robin.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" he asked. He didn't ask out of kindness or concern for Robin, he just didn't want him to become weak from malnourishment. He turned around and Robin shook his head in reply. He hadn't talked much since the events of last week; he was still in shock.

"I expect you to eat breakfast every day Robin. I will make you something today, but do not expect me to cook for you every day," he said, his back turned to Robin. Robin just continued to stare at the light on the table, barely listening to what Slade was saying. His mind had been foggy lately, like he was only half there. Whenever Slade spoke to him, it was as if he heard it through water. Slade walked to the table, two large bowls in hand, and sat down. He slid a bowl across the table towards Robin. "Eat," he commanded. Robin obeyed and began to slowly eat out of the bowl, not really paying attention to what he was eating.

Slade began to read the newspaper, not eating his food due to his mask. He would wait for Robin to finish and leave before eating. One day he would be able to eat in front of Robin. He fully intended upon taking off his mask, but only when he was certain that Robin was broken enough to stay upon his own free will. That was when Slade could fully trust him; he was going to make _no_ mistakes this time.

"Slade?" Robin whispered. Slade looked up at Robin, who was already looking at him.

"You may call me master, Robin. Not Slade," he pointed out. Robin just sighed; he would _not_ call Slade master, though he didn't want to anger him into another lesson either… There was just no way that Robin would call him master, that would mean giving up. He had stopped fighting during training and had stopped talking back… for the most part… but he would not call Slade master, _ever._

"That boy… Why did you kill a child? Why not an adult?" This had been bothering Robin all week. Why did he feel the need to kill a child? Killing an adult would have proven his point just as well. Robin's face was filled with gloom and Slade could see it.

"Why Robin, I thought that you, the boy wonder, saw all life forms as equal? Young, old, good, _bad_…" Robin could tell exactly where this was going. "So, are you telling me that some people are more worthy of life than others? As in the case of this child?"

"I didn't say that…" Robin replied, his tone defeated. Robin knew that Slade would pull this reasoning on him; it was only a matter of time. Slade wanted him as an assassin, there was no denying it. He had been waiting for the 'it's okay to kill certain people' speech for over a week now.

"Well you were certainly implying it. See? We are not so different after all Robin… We both see that some people deserve life more than others…" Slade said, his voice smooth and cunning.

"Look, I don't want to get into this now. I just want to know why you chose a ten-year-old." Robin was already done with Slade's clever manipulation. He didn't even want to think about what his future held for him. He knew that it would come down to it one day; he was going to be forced to kill. And when that day came, he was going to do everything in his power to prevent it. There was only one problem… what if Slade threatened another life? Would he really be saving somebody if another was just going to die in their place?

Slade looked at Robin for about a minute, staring in silence, before saying anything. "I chose the boy because he was so remnant of you Robin." He knew it; Slade did choose him because of their similarities. "He had more in common with you than you may think," Slade said. "He was small and frail… just like you at that age. He had blue eyes… just like you do." Robin sat up straighter; he was shocked, outraged, that Slade knew the color of his eyes. How did he find out? How long had he known? "He was even parentless… just like you at that age."

Robin stood up out of his chair, panting heavily and staring daggers at Slade, who just smiled in return under his mask. "Unfortunately, he wasn't lucky enough to be adopted by a billionaire… like you at that age," he added. Robin's jaw dropped. How?! How could he know?! He stood there gaping at Slade. "I have known who you are for years, Richard. It was not that hard to put two and two together. You and old bats are not as clever as you think you are." He paused, "It was rather careless of him to adopt his own ward as a sidekick…. Made it too easy to figure out his identity."

Robin sat back down in his chair, not knowing what to do or say. He just looked down at the table; now Slade knew Batman's identity as well. Robin was truly stuck; his friends might not even be able to save him now. "Do not worry; I am not going use your identity against you. If I was going to, I would have done it years ago." He did have a point. He could have used it against Robin years ago, but he didn't.

Robin was now falling into a pit of despair. Slade knew his identity and it had been two weeks since he went missing… Why have the Titans not come for him yet? He didn't want to be stuck here forever! What was taking them so long? He just wanted to go home to his friends, where he could laugh and enjoy life… He wasn't going to become an assassin… He wasn't going to call Slade master… And he certainly wasn't going to live the rest of his life here! _The Titans will come… Just don't give up hope… Don't give in to Slade… They will come… _

Robin stood back up, this time not out of anger, but rather because he was done with the conversation. As he made his way towards the door he stopped, wanting to know one more thing. "What was his name? The boy…" he asked.

"Timothy Spoke… an orphan from the village. Do not worry, no one will miss him." With that Robin walked out, his body once again going numb.

-Present Day-

Robin arrived back at the base and walked to Slade's desk. Slade was sitting in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest, and waiting for Robin. It was now two thirty and he was ready to go to bed. Robin pulled the phial out of his pocket and handed it to Slade, who put it in a cooler next to his desk.

"I see that you managed not only to alert the police, but to also blow up the entire lab," Slade said. Robin looked at him, his face blank. Slade stood up and towered over Robin, who didn't move an inch or even blink in response. "_Tomorrow,"_ he growled, his voice low and dangerous, before walking out of the room. Robin stood there a little while longer before making his way to his own room to get some much needed rest. He knew that he was in for it in the morning.

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Sorry if this chapter feels a little rushed, I tried my best to not make it seem so... As usual, please review! And please be constructive! No flaming... Thank You!


	7. The First Time In Years

-The disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Thank you for your continuous support and reviews! I really appreciate it!

PS. Just in case you cannot tell, this entire chapter is in present day

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-New York -

Robin was standing in front of the mirror, looking at himself. He could feel the cold tile on his feet and the air stinging against his skin. He sighed and closed his eyes, wanting to escape from himself, from his life. He didn't understand what he had done to get here. He didn't understand why he was even alive. What purpose did he have? What was the reason that he kept living and breathing? He didn't feel… he didn't love… so what was the point? He would kill himself, in fact, he had considered it many times, but Slade would just revive him. So why bother? He will just get beaten for it, or worse… someone else would suffer because of it, some other innocent person.

Out of all the people that he had seen die and personally killed, he didn't see one that deserved it more than him. He used to keep count of his kills, but the number grew too large. And at a certain point, he didn't care to know anymore. He was beyond hope, beyond feeling compassion. He wasn't human anymore; his soul died a long time ago. He had stopped caring about those that he ruthlessly murdered. He no longer pitied them, he no longer thought about their families. Once he had hated himself for being a murderer, but now… he saw nothing wrong with it. He still hated himself, but for other reasons.

He opened his eyes and looked into the mirror, seeing those dead eyes looking back at him. So void… so vacant… so lifeless… He turned on the faucet and began to clean out several cuts on his forehead. His face was honestly not that bad compared to his body. There were only about three cuts and his left eye was slightly swollen. Nothing that he hadn't had before, in fact, he has had much worse. This was his punishment for setting off the alarm at Neuro Link Inc.; he was very lucky that he wasn't in a coma right now. After washing out the wounds, he opened the cabinet and pulled out rubbing alcohol. He didn't so much as flinch as he poured it into the open cuts. He had become accustomed to pain. He placed several band aids over the cuts and then proceeded to slowly pull his shirt off.

This time flinching in the slightest, Robin threw the shirt to the floor and began to examine his torso in the mirror. There were several lashes across his chest and back and there were boot shaped bruises along his ribcage and stomach. He was pretty sure that he didn't have any broken ribs, as he knew what those felt like quite well, but every time he moved he could feel twinges of pain. Every time he breathed he could feel his chest constricting. How had this become his norm?

He took a wash cloth and wet it down, wiping the blood off of his torso before pouring rubbing alcohol over each wound with a hiss. He relished the pain, knowing that as soon as he was done, he would go back to total numbness. After finishing cleaning his wounds, he stopped to inspect his body. He was quite lean, but he had built up a bit of muscle since becoming Slade's apprentice. One noticeable aspect about Robin was his massive amount of scars. He had more than could probably be counted, some from Slade, some from various missions. He let his hands trace several of the scars before landing on one in particular that sat straight over his heart. He traced it several times before stopping to look at that oh so familiar _S_. He could remember the day that Slade had carved that into him.

He had come home from a mission, several months after being kidnapped, to be jabbed in the neck with a needle. Apparently, Slade had carved a large S straight over his heart with a surgical knife. Robin woke up to the lovely bleeding insignia on his chest and when asked, Slade replied, "Needed to mark my territory." It healed over and left a faint scar, which Slade was not satisfied with. He knocked Robin out once again and re-carved it, wanting it to be more prominent. The second time, the cut did not heal so discreetly and left a rather noticeable scar, much to Robin's distaste.

After that, Robin gave up on not being Slade's. He could no longer deny it. His will wasn't completely broken, but he was very close. It took a few more months of killing for his fire to completely die out. And when it did, Robin fell into complete darkness. That was when he stopped feeling; that was when the light in his eyes dissipated. There was no going back from there… There was no bringing Richard back. Now he was just Robin, assassin extraordinaire.

\- Jump City -

Cyborg walked into the main ops room, a book in hand. Beast Boy was sitting on the couch, watching some action show and Starfire was leaning against a counter in the kitchen. Both were completely silent as they listened to Cyborg enter the room.

"Hey Star, have you seen Raven?" he asked.

"I believe that she has gone to the roof," she replied. Her voice wasn't as joyous as it used to be, but it still wasn't completely depressing. Though her tone was often melancholy, it wasn't disheartening. She still held out hope, it was the only thing that kept her going.

"Thanks," he replied and turned to walk out of the room. "Hey Star?" he said as he stopped in the doorway.

"Yes, friend Cyborg?" she asked, her tone sweet and curious.

"Would you like to do something later? Watch a movie or something?" He turned to look at her. Her face lifted slightly and she smiled at him.

"I would very much like that," she whispered. Beast Boy's ears perked up at the mention of a movie and he flipped over on the couch to look at the two. Cyborg nodded at her and continued on his way towards the roof, leaving the two alone in the room.

"Could I maybe get in on the action?" Beast Boy asked, his voice enthusiastic. He loved watching movies! And they hadn't all watched a movie together in years. She walked over to the couch and sat down next to him.

"What do you mean? I do not understand the 'get in on the action'? Is there going to be battle?" she asked. She knew that it was another earthly expression, but she did not understand what it meant. Beast Boy laughed and she looked down, embarrassed from being so foolish.

"No! Star, it's okay! I wasn't laughing at you, I promise! I was just asking if I could join you and Cyborg with the movie," he explained. Starfire took Beast Boy's laughter the wrong way most of the time and he had been trying to remedy that lately. She smiled, her expression understanding.

"Yes! I would be overjoyed to have you join me and friend Cyborg!" she exclaimed. Beast Boy laughed again; he loved her enthusiasm. He had never fully appreciated what a good person she was during their first few years together as team mates. He stood up abruptly and she jumped slightly from surprise.

"How about I teach you how to play videogames? I mean, I know that we taught you years ago, but I figure that I could re-teach you!" He thought it would be a great way to kill some time and cheer her up. She looked at him doubtfully for a moment. "Come on… you know you want to! It'll be fun, I promise!" With that, she nodded and Beast Boy ran over to the Game Station console to set up their first game.

...

Above the ops room, on the roof, sat a young woman with dark hair. She was levitating and chanting her mantra. "Azarath…Metrion… Zinthos… Azarath… Metrion…Zinthos…" Behind her, the door to the roof opened and a young man walked through the entryway. He stood at the door as it closed behind him, admiring the view of the sunset over the water. They really did live in a spectacular spot. He continued to stand there, watching as the sun went completely down.

It really was a lovely day, the temperature was slightly warm and Cyborg could feel a cool breeze pass him by every so often. It was days like these that he really felt content with life, no matter the circumstances. It was days like these that showed him that life can still be beautiful, even when you are suffering. It was days like these that Cyborg felt happy to be alive.

"How long have you been standing there?" a monotonous voice asked. Cyborg looked over at Raven, who was now sitting on the ground. He walked over to her, his boots crackling on the rocky pavement, and sat down next to her.

"Just since the sunset, I came to give you this," he said and handed her a very old, very heavy book. She looked down at it for a moment before taking it out of his hands. "I found it in the hallway near Robin's door." She continued to look at the book in silence and Cyborg sighed. "Look, if you ever want to talk, I am here." He looked up at the now darkening sky and saw stars beginning to appear. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to shut out her emotions.

"That is nice of you Cyborg, but I am fine. I must have dropped it while walking to the ops room," she said. He sighed once again, wishing that just for once she would open up. He knew that Robin's room was nowhere near her route to the ops room. It wasn't good for her to bottle up her emotions; _that_ he knew for sure. But he didn't want to push her; she would open up when she was ready.

"You know? I don't think I have ever really watched the sunset. I have seen it before, but I never really sat down to watch it," he mused, the whole time looking out at the darkening horizon. Raven grunted in acknowledgment and began to look out at the waters surrounding the island, placing the book on the ground next to her. They both sat there for a while, Cyborg leaning on his hands behind him and Raven sitting cross-legged next to him.

Both just sat in silence, appreciating the calm night. Raven was enjoying the company, not being used to having any, and Cyborg was enjoying the cool night air. Neither really felt the need to say anything, the silence was perfect. Both of them knew what was on the other's mind, so words were unnecessary. After a while of watching the stars begin to appear, Cyborg sat up, deciding that it was time to be getting back inside.

"Starfire and I are watching a movie, would you like to join?" he asked. He didn't expect her to come; he just thought it would be nice to invite her. She looked out at the stars for a moment before standing up, book in hand, and walking towards the door.

"You know," she stopped, "that actually sounds nice." Cyborg smiled at her and she nodded in return. The two made their way down to the main ops room, where Starfire and Beast Boy were laughing and playing videogames. Beast Boy paused the game and turned around, sitting with his knees on the couch and looking at Raven. Raven looked back at him, "So, are we going to watch a movie or what?" He smiled and jumped out of his seat, running towards their collection of movies.

On that night, the four Titans sat around the television and watched a movie, all smiling and enjoying each other's company for the first time in nearly two years.

...

Cyborg woke up on the couch and looked around at his friends. To his right Starfire was sleeping while sitting up straight and to his left, Beast Boy was sprawled across several cushions, drooling onto the floor. He smiled at the sight of them, his two friends sleeping happily. He cared about them so much, and seeing them happy last night had made his day. They all must have fallen asleep on the couch during the movie, except Raven. She must have gotten up to go to bed after everyone else had fallen asleep.

Cyborg yawned and sat up to stretch. He looked at the time, _7:14_. It would be a while before anyone woke up, so he decided to go and get himself a glass of milk. He stood in the kitchen in silence, watching his friends and sipping his milk. The sun was shining through the windows and the air was pleasantly still. It was a beautiful morning and Cyborg was happy to be right where he was. He took a deep breath and looked over at the computer across the room. _Might as well check_…

He walked over to the computer and sat down in the desk chair, placing his milk on a coaster. The once silent room was now filled with the faint sounds of a keyboard clacking. Cyborg looked over his shoulder at his sleeping friends before typing in the URL for the New York Post. He began to scan the front page, looking for anything of interest, when he came across an article titled 'Up and Coming Biotech company attacked'. He was about to click on the article when heard Starfire stir behind him. He immediately closed the page and stood up.

"Morning Star," he said as he walked over to the couch. She grumbled and rubbed her eyes before stretching her arms as high as she could.

"Why am I not in my room?" she asked as she yawned. She opened her eyes wide and looked at Cyborg.

"We all fell asleep on the couch after the movie," he replied. She turned and looked at Beast Boy who was lying on his stomach and breathing deeply.

"Where is Raven?" she asked.

"Oh, I guess she went to her room after we all fell asleep." Starfire nodded and stood up. She flattened out her skirt and walked to the front door, which slid open for her. She wanted to take a shower and change into some new clothes. Her stomach grumbled from hunger, but she would rather feel clean than eat right now.

Cyborg watched her go and walked to the kitchen, now hungry enough to eat breakfast. He began to make waffles, bustling around the kitchen and trying not to make noise; he didn't want to wake Beast Boy up. After making enough waffles to feed a family of five, Cyborg sat down to eat, drowning them in a pool of syrup. Half way through his feeding frenzy, the doors slid open again and Raven walked in. She had her hood over her face and was beginning to make tea. "So I guess you skipped out on the sleepover?" Cyborg asked jokingly.

"Yeah, sleepovers aren't really my thing…" she replied in her monotonous voice. Despite her impassive persona, she had actually really enjoyed last night, though she would never admit it. Cyborg chuckled and continued to eat his waffles. "That was a nice thing you did," she said, her back turned to him. He swallowed and turned his head to look at her.

"What did I do?" he asked before shoveling more waffles into his mouth with a fork. Raven turned around to face him and swirled the spoon in her mug.

"Having us all watch a movie, it was nice. We all needed it, especially Starfire." Cyborg looked at her and put his fork down.

"I just figure that you know, the team needed to relax and have some fun for once," he said. It was true, they needed it badly. All of them, even if Raven didn't want to admit that she needed it too. The two were silent for a few minutes, both thinking about last night.

"Starfire almost floated out of her chair last night," Raven whispered before sipping her tea.

"Yeah, I saw…" Cyborg and Raven looked away from each other, Raven focusing on her tea and Cyborg gazing at the counter.

"It's been a long time since she has done that… almost two years…" Raven added, not quite knowing why she was continuing on with the conversation.

"Yeah, I know," Cyborg said bitterly. Starfire hadn't flown since the night that the tower was attacked. Raven understood that it was because she needed to feel 'the unbridled joy of flight' in order to fly, and that she just couldn't feel it anymore. Raven had never asked her about it, but she knew why. She _had_ switched bodies with her at one point.

Raven looked at Cyborg, sensing his harsh tone, and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and gave him one last look before walking out of the room. She needed to meditate, to get her emotions under control. Cyborg looked back down at his waffles, he no longer felt hungry. He stood up, his happiness from the morning leaking out of him, and looked over at Beast Boy. He looked so peaceful just lying there, like he didn't have a care in the world. That's how he should be… without a care in the world. He is so young, so innocent; and yet he has been through so much. Cyborg couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

He checked the clock again, it was now almost nine. He looked around the room and sighed. Maybe he should go work out in the gym or work on the T car. They may not use it anymore, but it was still his baby. As he looked around the room, his eyes landed on the computer in the corner. He could finish looking at the news…. _Nah…_ He would rather go check on his baby, not like there was anything important in the news today anyways.

-New York-

Robin was standing in the weapons room, looking around at his options. He took two hand guns, placing them in his hip holsters, and then turned around to look at the knives. A set of beautiful, shiny throwing knifes lay sheathed on a shelf. Robin couldn't resist the temptation and grabbed them, placing each knife in its place in his thigh holster. He grabbed several smoke bombs, flash bombs, and normal explosive bombs and positioned them in his belt. Along with those his belt held a grappling hook and a set of poisoned darts. He also had a machete sheathed over his back for good measure… you never know…

Robin walked towards the door, where Slade stood, watching him as he chose his weapons. "Throwing knives?" he asked with his eyebrows raised. Robin stood still next to Slade, looking at him and not saying a word. Slade looked down at his young apprentice, pride filling his eyes. He sure did love watching Robin get ready for an assassination. It was a victory for him every time. "Ready?" he asked, this time expecting an answer from Robin.

"Ready," the cold voice replied.

* * *

Once again, please review! Love getting your reviews! Thank you for reading!


	8. Losing Hope

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Warning: Mature content

Thank you for all of your support, reviews, follows, and favorites! Enjoy!

* * *

-Berlin: Less than a year and a half ago-

Robin was sitting at a circular table in a large square room. It was their base room, their very _first_ base room. Little did Robin know how many different base rooms he would become accustomed to in the future. Slade hadn't exactly told him his plans for the city yet, but Robin knew that whatever they were, they weren't good. He leaned forward onto the table, resting his weight on his forearms and gazing at the wall across from him with unfocused eyes.

It had been almost four months since he was abducted by Slade and he was slowly beginning to lose hope of being rescued. His new routine consisted of athletic training, tactical training, weapons training, and of course, the occasional beating. He knew that if he would just stop talking back, he wouldn't get beaten, but he was too stubborn. He felt like these past four months had been a lifetime, but yet a blur. It felt like they weren't really happening, like everything was a dream; he just hoped that one day he would wake up.

He would sometimes have dreams about the Titans, about Starfire. They were so real… He could hear their voices, feel their happiness, sense their presence… When he would wake up, he would think that he was home, even if for the briefest moment. It was during those moments that he actually felt happy again, but then he would remember where he was… who he was… He also had nightmares; some were made up scenarios and others were memories. He often dreamt that he was escaping, but at the last moment Slade would always catch him. He could never get away, no matter how hard he tried. The worst part of it was that in his dreams he had been with Slade for years. He couldn't even fathom being with Slade for years; four months was bad enough. There was no way that that could happen, if only the Titans would find him…

Robin could feel his chest clenching up as a familiar feeling crept up on him. He knew that feeling…. _Why now?_ Why did it have to start now? This feeling had been haunting him for months. He couldn't find peace anywhere, not even in sleep. It bothered him day and night. He buried his face in his hands and started to tug on the edges of his hair. "No," he whispered to himself, "Not now." He could see a room, painted in red. "Stop it….Go away!" he mumbled. He continued to pull his hair and take deep breaths, desperately trying to escape from the vision. A scene started to play in his head, like a film. It was like a broken record, constantly playing in the back of his mind. The room was so silent, so ominous. He hated that room… Why couldn't it go away?!

From the corners of his vision, he could see a pool of red flowing towards him. There was a tiny hand lying on the floor, the red liquid curving around it. He tried not to see it, but he could never not see it, it was imprinted on his brain. Robin could feel his stomach drop and suddenly felt ill. His breathing started to become shallow and his head was swimming. The tiny hand, so innocent, so lifeless. He could hear a voice, as if it was whispering in his ear. _Timothy Spoke… do not worry, no one will miss him. _Robin clenched his eyelids shut and tried to drown the voice out.

The scene changed and Robin could now see the boy's crystal blue eyes, full of fear. He wanted to help the boy, but he couldn't… he was too late. He felt like he was going to pass out and tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. _Don't cry… Don't cry… -BANG-_ He watched the boy fall to the ground, the sound of the gunshot ringing in his ears, as a single tear streamed down his face. A faint whisper caressed his ear: _No one will miss him._

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! LEAVE-ME -ALONE!" Robin shouted, this time not caring if he was heard. He was sick of hearing that no one cared for the boy… someone had to… someone had to miss him. He was dead because of Robin. It was all Robin's fault, he was the murderer, and he couldn't stop seeing it. It was driving him insane! He couldn't go anywhere without it playing in his mind. He heard Slade's words so clearly sometimes that he could swear that Slade was standing behind him and repeating them. Robin felt heaviness on his chest, like something was sitting on him; he was becoming overwhelmed with guilt. That poor young boy, with so much ahead of him, so much potential: _gone. _He couldn't bear it; he didn't know what he was going to do. He had to make it stop.

He just wanted to stop feeling so sickeningly distraught all the time… the only times he didn't see or hear it was when he let himself go numb. The only problem was: when he went numb, he was giving up, and he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't give up! He had to keep fighting!

"Robin." Robin jumped in his seat upon hearing Slade's real voice. He wiped his face and looked over to the man standing in the door way. "Do not tell me that you were just crying. I will _not_ tolerate crying." Robin shook his head and stood up, not wanting to get in trouble. The last time he let one tear slip, Slade threatened to 'give him something to cry about'. He did not feel like testing that warning; and luckily for him, he wasn't someone who cried often. Slade looked Robin up and down, admiring the new mission outfit that he had made. He especially loved the large S across the torso. "It is time," he stated and Robin nodded in acceptance.

It was Robin's first mission and he was nervous as hell. He had stolen various items for Slade during the past two months, but this was his first 'real' mission, or so Slade said. He had no idea what that meant, nor did he want to know. Slade was accompanying him on the mission, which worried him. Slade didn't go on missions with him, _ever_. Something about this one was special. Robin had a feeling about what it was… in fact, deep down inside, he knew what it was. He just didn't want to admit it. Slade didn't give him a gun for show, he wanted him to kill someone… and Robin, for once, was truly afraid.

...

The sun had just gone down and darkness crept all around, hiding two men in its shadows. One was a young man of average stature and the other a rather large older man. Both were wearing black and orange bodysuits and masks. The larger one wore a full, two toned mask and the other wore a simple eye cover. The two were sleuthing around the edges of a large building, making their way towards the front gate after having cut the power to the security system.

Slade had briefly explained to Robin that the building was a front for one of the largest drug cartels in the country. It was where all of the drugs were packaged and held before being sold, and it occasionally served as a place to cook methamphetamine. There was a massive, professional grade lab inside that could cook hundreds of pounds in a batch. The building had to have had at least one hundred million dollars' worth of product in it at the moment. Thus it was heavily guarded, or so it should have been… It seemed that on this day, several dozen of the guards had received calls telling them that they weren't needed at work today. Quite the coincidence….

Slade approached the front gates and picked the several locks that were chained around it. Robin's heart was beating abnormally fast; this was a major drug cartel… drug cartels kill people just for looking at them wrong… and they were _breaking in_! If he wasn't with Slade, he would be genuinely worried for his life. However, he couldn't imagine Slade being offed, and Slade certainly wouldn't let Robin die, not after all he has done to get him in the first place. It reassured Robin, but also made him angry thinking about it. Slade was never going to give him up… he would probably kill Death himself to get Robin back.

Slade motioned for Robin to proceed and stood at the gate while Robin ran around the front of the building, bending down to the ground from time to time. He was like a cat: silent, quick, and precise. Robin came running back and stood behind Slade, waiting for further instruction. Slade didn't tell him the full extent of what they were doing that night, so Robin just stood around, not knowing what to do and feeling like an idiot. He didn't even know what he had placed all around the building moments ago. Slade extended his arm backwards and pushed Robin back with his hand before crouching down and covering his ears. Robin followed his example and covered his ears, feeling angry that Slade had even touched him. Giving him one last look, Slade pressed a small button on a device in his hand.

-**BOOM**\- Robin jumped back in shock at the massive flash and closed his eyes. Seven more explosions followed, all large and extremely loud. There were now several small fires blazing in the yard in front of the building. When the bombs finally stopped, a swarm of men came running out of the front door, all with very large guns. They started to fire at the gate and Robin fell to the ground, trying to shield himself from the bullets. Slade immediately stood up and pulled a large machine gun up into his arms. Robin looked up in shock, unbelieving of how the situation was already going. It had gone south fast, unless of course this had been planned. Slade aimed at the crowd running towards them and pulled the trigger, causing a shower of bullets to rain upon the men ahead.

The men began to fall to the ground in large groups. Robin looked up at Slade and covered his face with his arm as he got pelted with bullet shells. "SLADE! STOP!" he shouted, but his yelling was drowned out by the sound of fire. Within thirty seconds, everything went silent and all the men lay upon the floor, lifeless and unmoving. Robin continued to shield his head and squeeze his eyes shut; he could not believe what had just happened. Five minutes into the job and there was already so much carnage. How did Slade expect him to do this?

"Get up," Slade commanded as he put the gun down. Robin continued to sit silently, now pressing his hands to his ears tightly. "I said get up! We do not have time to sit around! We are on a mission, Robin!" Slade grabbed Robin's arm, "GET UP!" He lifted Robin up and shook him by the shoulders, forcing him to respond.

"Get off of me!" Robin huffed as he yanked his arms out of Slade's grip. Robin glowered at Slade, resentment swelling up inside of him.

"If you don't get moving, I will make you regret the day you were born," Slade growled, his voice severe. Robin glared at Slade for another few seconds before giving in and walking forward.

"Too late," Robin whispered as he passed Slade. Slade watched as Robin trudged forward with disbelief. _What a child…_

The two approached the front door, Robin counting the bodies as he went by in misery. He couldn't even keep count properly, there were too many and they were too close together. Slade blew the door open with a bomb and quickly walked through the entryway. "Pull out your gun Robin," he said to the boy behind him. He had a rather powerful handgun in front of him, aimed at the pathway ahead. Robin hesitated for a moment and Slade growled threateningly. "If you don't pull out your gun, you are going to get killed. And not by me," he added. It was true, everyone in this building would have a gun on hand, and none of them would be hesitant to kill a young teen. As a safety precaution, Robin pulled his gun out and held it downwards, aiming at the ground. He didn't want to actually shoot anyone.

Slade strode forward into the nearest hallway and motioned for Robin to stay put. Robin obliged and watched as Slade walked in and out of every room that he passed. After several minutes, Robin could no longer see him and was left alone in the large entryway. He didn't understand why Slade would just leave him in the front. Why was he was even here if he wasn't going to be doing anything? Probably just to witness the massacre outside… _Damn, Slade was sick._

Robin was now looking around the room, not knowing what to do with himself. There were three archways around him, one in front of him and two on each side of him, as well as the blown up front door behind him. Slade had gone down the hallway directly in front and Robin wondered if they all connected somewhere; this building must be huge inside. _It did have an entire lab_… Robin exhaled and held the gun lazily in his right hand; at least Slade wasn't making him use it. He walked over to the left archway and peered into the hallway. It was lined with several doors and curved around to the right at the very end.

He had one foot in the hallway when he heard a bang followed by a whoosh. He quickly turned around to see a massive figure pointing a gun at his head from the middle of the room. _That was a bullet?! _He ran behind the archway and took cover, placing his gun back in its holster. He reached into his belt to grab his bo staff before remembering that Slade insisted that he leave it back at the base. _Bastard…_ Robin could hear the man walking towards him and squatted down. He listened to the sound of boots walking through the room with anticipation.

The man stopped at the archway and held his gun out, preparing to shoot the young boy, when a foot swooped out of the corner and knocked the gun out of his hand. Robin landed on the ground in a crouch and tried to sweep the man's feet out from under him, but the man stepped out of the way. He grabbed Robin's shoulders and picked him up, holding him eye level. Robin's feet swung back and forth as he tried to free himself, but the man threw him back into the front room. He strolled into the room casually as Robin slid across the floor.

Robin kicked himself up and ran towards the man before jumping into the air and attempting to kick him in the head. The sooner he knocked this idiot out, the better. The man chuckled in a low grumble and quickly grabbed Robin's foot, catching him mid-air. He used Robin's own momentum to throw him straight to the ground with a painful _thud. _Robin landed onto his back and started to cough violently. He heard a crack and was pretty sure that he had damaged his spine. The man looked down at him before turning around to go retrieve his gun from the archway.

He had taken five steps when he was hit in the back by a small object. Robin was standing behind him, and had thrown the first thing that he could find in his belt at the man. The device blinked and then flashed, blinding Robin. _A flash bomb… really?! That is what I throw at him._ He began to blink furiously, trying to get his vision back when he was knocked off his feet by an arm to the throat. The man must have come running at him with his arm held straight out. Robin was once again heaving and coughing on the floor as the man looked down at him.

_Little brat_… The man watched as Robin crawled onto all fours and attempted to get up. With one swift kick to the midsection, he forced Robin back down to the ground with a deafening _crack_. If Robin didn't do something soon, he was going to be knocked unconscious, _or worse_. The man leaned down and grabbed Robin by the hair, preparing to kick him square in the jaw. Robin looked up at him, blood dripping down his head from being thrown to the floor, and kneed him in the groin. The man let go, crying out in agony and Robin scrambled up. He quickly roundhouse kicked him in the head, to very little effect.

The man stood up straight and ran at Robin, forcing him to retreat backwards. He swept at Robin's feet, but Robin dodged it. He stopped suddenly, taking Robin off guard in surprise, and grabbed his torso. Robin could feel the man's fingers digging into his sides as he was lifted into the air. Before Robin was able to react, he was thrown straight against the wall. He hit it directly with his right shoulder and slumped down to the ground, now becoming extremely concerned with how the situation was going. This man was very well trained and he was losing…_miserably_. He tried to get up by pushing down with his hands, but just collapsed under the weight; his back and shoulder hurt too much to move. _Great…_

The man walked slowly towards Robin, a murderous look in his eye. Where was Slade? Why has he not gotten back yet or heard the fight going on? Did he truly not care enough about Robin to come and help him? Or did he plan this? Was this his way of forcing Robin to kill? _That sick son of a bitch!_ Not being able to get up and seeing no other option, Robin pulled his gun out of its holster. His head was pounding from being thrown around so much and he could feel a migraine coming on. He slowly lifted the gun with shaky hands and pointed it at the man's chest, feeling his pulse in his fingertips. The man stopped in his tracks and stared at Robin with uncertainty on his face. He didn't know that the kid was armed.

Robin gazed up at the man's face, his arms trembling, and watched him for what felt like an eternity. Was he really going to kill a man? _He is trying to kill me…_ But it was his fault for breaking in in the first place, this man was just defending what was his. Criminal or not, he didn't deserve to die. But if Robin didn't shoot him, then he would surely be dead within minutes. _It is self- defense… right? _Robin was fighting himself internally, not knowing what to do. Could he handle having blood on his hands? Even if it wasn't innocent? But was he also prepared to die over some criminal? Suddenly, in that moment, he could hear Slade's voice in the back of his mind. _Do not worry, no one will miss him_. He could see the poor boy and hear his cries of fear.

The man could see a flash of something in Robin's eyes. Fear? Shock? Bewilderment? He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was and was unsure what to make of it. Robin blinked and felt his breathing accelerate. He was left with an ultimatum: kill another person or die. He heard Slade's voice resounding in his head. _See? We are not so different after all Robin… We both see that some people deserve life more than others…_ Robin's eyes became fixed and he sighed in defeat, feeling his lungs burn as he did so. "I am nothing like you," he whispered under his breath. The man, having heard that, cocked his head slightly in puzzlement. Robin closed his eyes and slowly lowered the gun.

The man's expression changed to that of incomprehension. _He was putting down his gun?_ The gun slipped out of Robin's hands and fell to the floor with a _clank. _He sat still against the wall, his breathing now slowing. Who was to say that his life was worth more than another's? The fact was that it wasn't. He couldn't kill someone just to save himself; he just couldn't, no matter how bad of a criminal they may be. So, if was going to die, then so be it. What did he have to live for anyways?

Robin could feel a hand brush across his leg and he opened his eyes. The man had grabbed the gun off the floor and was now aiming it at him. "You are one stupid kid, you know that?" the man said and Robin squeezed his eyes shut, preparing himself for the impact. He sat in that moment, thinking of his friends and all the fond memories he had with them. He was grateful for the time that they had together, even if it was so short. The man gave Robin one last look, seeing him take a deep breath and began to pull the trigger. -_BANG_-

The sound of clacking rang throughout the hall, as well as a light _thud_. A man was walking along the hall, gun in hand. Outside, silence filled the night as the bodies of the fallen lay across the ground. The man stopped walking and stared forward at the scene before him. Robin was leaning against the wall, covered in blood.

Robin began to open his eyes and was shocked to see that he was still in the hall. He was alive! _How?_ He looked in front of him and saw the man lying on the ground, his head blown into oblivion by the impact of the bullet. Robin started to retch, shock once again flowing over him. _How?_ _How did that happen?_ He couldn't take his eyes off the gruesome scene in front of him, not even to look for his savior_. _He couldn't believe that the man was dead. That could have been him… He had come so close to being that dead body on the floor… How could he have let that happen? What was he thinking?! He just walked into death like it was nothing! He didn't even try to fight; he was just going to let the man point a gun at his head and pull the trigger! How could he have given up so easily?! He almost _died!_

"You imbecile! You were just going to let him kill you?! If I hadn't been here, you would be _dead!_" Robin looked up at Slade, his eyes wide open from the shock of having nearly died. Slade walked up and slapped Robin across the face with all of the might that he had, sending Robin flying to the floor. "After all I have done for YOU! And you are just going to go and commit suicide! I think not! After I am done with you, you will wish that he _had_ killed you," Slade barked. Robin was already halfheartedly wishing that he had been killed. He didn't want to know what was going to happen to him tonight. His face began to swell as he lay on the ground in a pool of blood. Slade was towering over him, his suit also covered in blood. Robin was certain that not all of it was from the man lying on the floor in front of him.

"And after I specifically told you to kill anyone who attacked you!" Slade grabbed Robin and dragged him to his feet. Robin could see the fury in his eye and began to look away, not wanting to see it. Slade gripped Robin's chin and forced his head forward, his face inches from Robin's. "Just you _wait_ until we get home," he whispered.

-Jump City: Present Day-

Cyborg returned from working on his car during the mid-afternoon. Beast Boy had woken up around one and was now in his bedroom. Raven had once again retreated to the roof, this time to read a book in Latin, and Starfire had remained in her bedroom to tend to Silkie. They would all reconvene for dinner in about two hours, assuming that they all showed up. There were often absences, but Cyborg tried his best to maintain a "family" dinner.

He walked into the ops room and looked around, feeling satisfied with his day's work. He walked to the sink and started to wash the grease off of his hands, though the rest of his body remained filthy. He would take a shower later. Right now, Cyborg just wanted to sit back and relax. He walked to the couch and sat down with a moan; there was nothing better than some peace and relaxation after working hard on the T-car. They would have to go somewhere soon, stretch his baby's legs out a bit. He hated having it sit in the garage all day. They really needed to go out, not only for the car, but for them. None of them had left the tower in over a month, except for Cyborg, and that was only to get food.

They had really been slacking lately and the city was falling apart because of it. The problem wasn't that they were lazy; it was that they were just too depressed to go out and do anything. They just couldn't do it without Robin, it was too disheartening. The last few times they responded to calls, they got their butts handed to them. It just ended up leaving them injured and making the situation worse. How were they supposed to fight when Starfire couldn't even fly? When Raven couldn't concentrate?

Cyborg shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the gloomy thoughts, and sighed. He didn't know what to do. It was like they were living a lie. They kept pretending to be Titans, but they weren't. They were just a bunch of teenagers trying to get through the day without there being a mental breakdown in the house. He didn't know how much longer he could take it. They all knew that they were just pretending, but no one mentioned it, because if they did, then they would have to confront it. And none of them could do so. They couldn't face the truth, because it would mean having to give up the charade, and none of them wanted to think about what would happen afterwards. So, for now, they all buried the knowledge deep inside themselves, each trying to cope with it their own way.

Cyborg opened his eyes, wanting to distract himself from his thoughts, and looked over at the computer. _Might as well finish checking…_ He was becoming more and more doubtful about the lead in New York every day. He didn't even know why he looked anymore. He insisted that it was to appease Beast Boy, but really it was for him. Looking at the news made him feel like he hadn't given up, like he was doing something. But as each day passed, he had less and less hope. Now, he wasn't even sure that he had any left in him, and he didn't want to admit it to himself. He couldn't admit that he had given up on Robin. So, he checked his news every day, just to appease his own mind.

Cyborg turned on the computer and went to the New York Post, scrolling down through the articles from today. _Nothing…. Nothing…. Nothing… 'Up and Coming Biotech company attacked'… _Cyborg remembered seeing this article earlier today, but was interrupted before he could read it. He opened the article and began to read.

"_This morning at approximately 1:00 a.m. an up and coming Biotech Company was attacked. Reports state that an entire room within the lab was blown up, destroying the majority of the company's experiments and causing a massive setback in the development of several chemicals. Police are unsure as to whether this was an attack on the company or a theft that ended badly. Several of the company's workers reported seeing a very young 'scientist' walking around the seventh floor in a lab suit, something that the scientists affirmed that they do not do. It was also reported that a small flash bomb had been set off on the second floor and that a security guard had been drugged. Police believe that this was a way of trying to disarm the security system, as it was guarded by the three men that had reported the flash and drugging. The police made a statement saying that they would have a description of the offender in question in a few days' time. They are currently investigating the purpose of the attack and have refused to release any more information about the chemicals that were destroyed. Neuro Link Inc. is a nearly two year old company that has revolutionized-"_

Cyborg glanced over the rest of the article, not particularly paying attention to the information that was provided about the company at the end. He was more concerned about the actual "attack". _Could it be?_ The article did say that the man was young and it sounded like something Slade would do: stealing a chemical, using flash bombs, blowing up a room; but why would he do something so public? Weren't they trying to keep a low profile? Why would they blow up an entire room, alerting the police? This had to be an amateur… but then again, it could have been a mission gone wrong. There are tons of young thieves out there…_ But young thieves that use flash bombs?_

Cyborg definitely wanted to look further into this; hopefully the description of the thief would be released soon. This could really be Robin, but then again, it could really be nothing. Cyborg could feel a familiar nervous feeling in his stomach, the same feeling that he had the last time that they thought they had a lead. What if it is Robin? What if we finally found him? Cyborg was feeling very conflicted about the news; Raven would never go for it, but Beast Boy and Starfire would. Bringing Starfire into this would be cruel though, and Beast Boy never did use much logic when trying to find Robin. Should he tell them?

He really saw potential in this, perhaps they should go to New York, just to check on things. They would be better able to evaluate what was going on from there rather than here. Here, they were limited to newspaper articles; but there, they could use the information that the police had, they could investigate the crime scene, they could even scope out the abandoned buildings of the city. That's where Slade always had his hideouts and it would be their best bet_. That was it_, it was final, he was going to talk to Raven about it later tonight. _Hopefully she will listen…_

Cyborg could hear a rustling behind him as he researched the theft further. Beast Boy was rummaging through a bag of Doritos, trying to get the very last of the crumbs out. He was leaning on the counter in the kitchen as he looked at Cyborg. "Dude, last night was really fun! We should totally do that again," he yelled across the room. Cyborg nodded, his eyes not leaving the computer screen.

"Yeah we should," he mumbled, his mind elsewhere in deep thought.

"I mean, we never do anything fun anymore, you know?" Beast Boy said as he licked his fingers. He threw the bag into the trash after flipping it inside out and licking the surface.

"Yeah…" Cyborg mumbled, more to himself than to Beast Boy. _Yeah, I will talk to Raven….See what she makes of it…_

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Please review and tell me what you think! Thank you for reading!


	9. Whips and Chains

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

This chapter is for Mireilles3. I didn't intend upon following up on the failed mission, but seeing as you wanted a punishment scene, I thought I should write it.

On another note, I was really sad to not get more reviews on the last chapter, I was really looking forward to reading your guys' opinions! Ah well, here is the next chapter! Enjoy!

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-Berlin: Less than a year and a half ago-

Slade dragged Robin by his legs across the cold, stone floor. Robin's hands were bleeding from clawing at the ground and most of his nails were completely broken off. His ankles were bruised from Slade's death grip on them and he was screaming for him to let go. He was truly afraid; on the car ride home, he could tell that it took everything Slade had not to beat him right there. He was used to being kicked around, but he knew that this time would be different.

The fabric of his suit was chaffing against his stomach as he slid across the floor. He tried to look behind him to see Slade, but he couldn't lift his torso off the floor; his back was too sore from being thrown against the wall at the drug warehouse earlier. He lowered his head as they began turning, giving up on trying to see where they were going. Slade let go of one his feet and began opening a door. Looking to his left, Robin could see what looked like a mortuary, fitted with a steel table and drains. He immediately started to kick with all of his might and Slade grabbed his flailing foot, pulling him through the doorway.

Robin grabbed at the edges of the door, holding on for dear life. Slade tugged at him harder, stretching out his back and causing him to growl in pain. He continued to pull at Robin's legs, tightening his grip on his ankles. "Let me go you sick fuck!" Robin screamed as his hands began to slip from the door frame. He did not want to be anywhere near this room. Slade let go of his legs and let him drop to the floor, much to Robin's surprise. He fell to the ground with a grunt and started to crawl away. Slade stepped over him, bent down, and grabbed his arms. He flipped him onto his back and sat on his torso with all of his weight.

Robin started to throw punches, but Slade caught his hands and held them above his head. Using his unoccupied hand, he slowly pulled off Robin's mask, wanting to see the fear in his eyes. Robin clenched his eyes shut and turned his head to the side as Slade began to remove his own mask. Robin had seen him without his mask for the first time a few weeks ago and Slade had used it as a scare tactic ever since. "Look at me," Slade commanded and Robin shook his head. "Look-At-Me," he growled slowly and threateningly; Robin shook his head again. With a snarl, Slade stood up and began to pull Robin further into the room by his arms. Robin kept his eyes shut and started to dig what was left of his nails into Slade's palms.

Slade dropped Robin's hands and lifted him by his armpits onto the steel table. Robin immediately tried to scramble off of the table, but Slade quickly tied his hands to the edges of the table with leather straps. He then moved down to his feet, tying them up as well. "Let me go!" Robin yelled to the man standing behind him. He was lying face down on the table, his cheek resting against the cold steel. Slade tightened the ties around his ankles and Robin hissed in pain, he could feel blood dripping down his toes.

Slade walked over to a counter to the right and Robin turned his head to watch him. It was like a giant workbench full of tools, except they weren't normal tools. Robin saw knives of every different shape and size, electrical wires, clamps, and many other odd looking devices that he did not know the use for. He started to breath heavily, nervous as to what Slade was going to do to him. He could see his breath fogging on the table and he started to tremble. Slade was fiddling with something on the table that Robin could not see. "Let me GO!" he tried again, but to no avail.

Slade came walking back from the table, a long black rope-like object in his hand. _Is that a whip?!_ Robin began to squirm as Slade trailed his fingers along his neck. His hand settled upon the zipper at the top of his suit and started to pull it down. "What are you _doing?!"_ Robin gasped in alarm. Slade continued to pull the zipper down until it reached the small of his back, exposing his partially bruised spine.

"This is a perfectly good suit. Wouldn't want to ruin it," he stated, his voice eerily calm now. Robin continued to squirm as Slade pulled the entire torso of the suit down to his hips. He could feel his face flushing and he turned beet red. Was this seriously happening?Slade looked down at his perfectly smooth, unmarred skin._ Better remedy that_. He pulled the whip up and Robin started to struggle against his restraints.

A resounding _crack_ echoed throughout the room and Robin hissed, trying to hold back a scream. He wouldn't give Slade the satisfaction. "Don't you _ever_ try anything like that again!" Slade barked as he forced the whip down again. Robin grunted as the whip sliced his skin and he dug his fingers into the restraints, trying to distract himself from the pain. He could feel cold air on the fresh cuts as Slade continued to mercilessly whip him. "If you so much as try to escape me _or_ your own life," Slade began, holding the whip high in the air, "I will brutally murder everyone that you know and love." He brought the whip down with all of his strength, making Robin scream out in agony.

"Slade stop! Please! Just stop!" Robin begged. _So much for dignity…_ He didn't care anymore; he just wanted the pain to stop. Slade stopped for a few moments and Robin let out a sigh of relief, tears streaming down his face.

"Maybe next time you will use the gun I provide you with," Slade snarled and brought the whip down upon Robin's skin again. His blood curdling scream echoed throughout the entire building. It would have sent chills down anyone's spine, except of course, Slade. He seemed to relish it, or so Robin thought. The truth was, Slade didn't particularly like beating Robin. It's not that he didn't enjoy it; he just did not seek it out. If it came, then he would make the most of it, but if not, it didn't bother him. It was really all about the power for him, he loved the control. That was what he enjoyed. He actually never intended upon using this room on Robin, but he was just so angry at the thought of losing Robin that he couldn't help himself. He needed to teach him a lesson; he needed to teach Robin not to die.

He never planned for Robin to have to fight that man, especially considering that he would have posed a challenge for even Slade himself. The man was not only a former KGB fighter who got banned for killing his opponents, but also a top of the line bodyguard. If you were anyone important, then that man would have been your best bet at survival, assuming that you could afford him. What he was doing in the damn lobby, Slade did not know… He was actually looking for him when he came across the fight. He would have intervened, but seeing as Robin had a gun, he thought it the perfect opportunity for a first time kill. But of course, Robin had to be all morally upstanding. He would have to change that, _and soon. _

After having his fill with the whip, Slade put it down and walked to the other side of the table. Robin had his eyes tightly shut and tears were streaming down his face. His lips were quivering and bleeding from biting the skin off of them during the last few lashes. Slade knelt down and leaned in, grabbing Robin's chin with his hand. "From now on, you will do as I say," he commanded. Robin opened his eyes and looked at the white haired man with disgust.

"Fuck you!" Robin spat, looking Slade dead in the eye. He wasn't one who cursed often, but he figured that considering the circumstances, he could make an exception. Slade's eye narrowed and he leaned in closer, his face just inches from Robin's.

"You are _mine,_" he purred and then tightened his grip on Robin's chin before throwing his face back to the table. He stood up and walked over to the table to grab his next device of torture. "And you are going to wish that you didn't say that."

…

Slade walked over to the workbench, his hands covered in blood. Robin had passed out from the pain and was now lying completely still on the table. He set down a small syringe and looked at the instruments strewn across the bench. There was a small surgical knife, perhaps the sharpest knife he owned. _I will have to mark Robin as my own one day…_ _Perhaps a nice S across the neck or back, or maybe even the chest. Directly over the heart would be appropriate… _He liked that idea; his insignia, directly over Robin's heart. How fitting…

He picked up a small bottle and injected the needle into it, sucking the liquid into the syringe. Above him were several cabinets that held various medical supplies. He opened the first and pulled out a small towel, a large pile of square cloth, and several wraps and bandages. In the second, he pulled out a tub of rubbing alcohol, stitches, and a tub of powder that was meant to stop bleeding. He opened the third, but saw that he needed nothing out of it.

He walked over to the table that Robin was lying on and placed the materials on a small surgeon's table next to him. The small towel was soaking in warm water and Slade pulled it out before wiping Robin down. Blood and water began to drip off of the table and drain into the floor. For several minutes he went back and forth between wiping Robin off and soaking the towel in the now pink water. Robin's back was becoming clean enough to see the damage that Slade had inflicted. There were over a dozen lashes, several of which were very deep and still bleeding. The majority of his skin was bruised, although his spine had been bruised before Slade even started. There were also several other cuts that had not been inflicted by a whip and three of his fingers were broken. That had been an accident, Slade never meant to damage Robin's hands, he needed those to train.

It looked like Robin would be bed ridden for a few days and unable to work out for a few weeks, which angered Slade. Even though it was his own fault, he was still unhappy that Robin would be getting so much time off. He set the towel down and twisted the cap off of the tub of rubbing alcohol. If Robin were to be awake for this next part, he might just pass out from the pain again. He began to pour the liquid onto Robin's back, cleaning out all of the gashes. Even though he was passed out cold, Robin stirred slightly. His body must have been reacting to the pain and Slade wondered if he was dreaming about it.

He took the towel and once again ran it over Robin's back, cleaning off the extra alcohol. The table was now coated in pink, the blood and water flowing all around Robin's body before dripping onto the floor. Slade's shoes were also soaked as he worked around Robin and his uniform was splattered with dark red blood. He was slightly concerned that Robin was going to lose too much blood, that was what ultimately made him decide to stop. He would have kept going even after Robin passed out, but he didn't want to kill the boy. That would be counterproductive.

Several of the most deep seated gashes were starting to bleed again and Slade doused the powder onto them. He then proceeded to stitch up the cuts that needed it before bandaging them. After washing his hands off in the dirty water, he walked down to Robin's feet and untied them. He would have to tend to them as well. While untying his hands, he looked down at Robin's tear stained face. He never realized how young the boy looked. He had only seen Robin awake, seeing him asleep was like looking at a child. He no longer looked mature and worn, but young and innocent. Not liking the look of innocence at the moment, Slade walked over to the rubbing alcohol and poured it over Robin's ankles and wrists. He then pulled Robin up into a sitting position. Even while completely dead weight, Robin was still very light. Perhaps he should bulk Robin up a bit…but then again, he had always liked that quality about him. He could fit into smaller spaces; it made for a better thief. Plus, he was very easy to overpower.

Slade wrapped Robin's ribcage several times with different types of tape and bandages, wanting to get some good compression. He was certain that he had broken at least three ribs, but there could have been more. Robin would definitely take a while to recover… _Damn it…_ Well, at least he could work on breaking him mentally during that time. He knew it wouldn't be easy, Robin was very tough. Timothy was a very large step forward, but he still had a long way to go. So how was he going to truly break him? _What would really kill the boy inside?_

Slade set Robin back down onto the table and pulled the bloody bodysuit off. How was he going to get Robin to kill for the first time? He wouldn't even kill in the name of self defense; he was just willing to die, though he did seem to be shocked about it afterwards. He probably honestly scared himself enough to not walk into getting murdered again, but Slade had to be sure. He would have to do something drastic to get Robin to act, but what? He pulled a pair of sweats over Robin's legs before grabbing a small undershirt. It would be best to make him wear a tight shirt to help with the compression.

After having dressed Robin, he threw him over his shoulder and walked out of the room. It would be best to keep an eye on him tonight, just to be safe. He walked through the halls before arriving to his own bedroom. He wouldn't have a problem with Robin staying there; he didn't plan on sleeping much tonight anyways. He needed to do some serious planning, not only for the city, but also for Robin. He set Robin down onto the bed and walked over to his desk, where he would remain for the rest of the night, planning the future carefully.

…

Robin woke up the next morning around dawn, still exhausted from last night. He opened his eyes and began to look around. After a few moments of blissful ignorance, he started to realize that he wasn't at home. "Where am I?"

"My bedroom," a cold voice replied from the corner of the room. Robin looked over to see Slade sitting in a chair, facing him with his hands crossed in his lap. He jolted up and hissed in pain as he grabbed his ribs. "Don't move so suddenly, it isn't good for your broken ribs," Slade stated.

"What the hell am I doing in _your _bedroom?" Robin gasped. He was mortified, why was he in Slade's bedroom?! He didn't want to be anywhere near Slade, let alone in his bed!

"Calm down," he drawled, seemingly bored with the conversation, "I needed to watch you for the night, just in case something happened." Robin glared at him for a while before looking down at his body. How did he get into these clothes? He had never worn these before. _Did Slade change me?!_ He tried to remember back yesterday. _Why do I feel so sore? _With a look of stun dawning upon his face, he recalled the events of last night.

It wasn't so much the torture that traumatized him, it was the fact that he almost died. How could he have let that happen? Why did he just accept death so easily? Sure, things with Slade were bad, but not bad enough to commit suicide! He may have thought about it from time to time, but he was never serious. And he just decided to go through with it yesterday?! What was he thinking?! It still wasn't right to shoot that man, but he could have at least gotten up and fought. He could have _not_ dropped the gun on the floor where the man could grab it. Now that he thought of it, he had lots of options, none of them being suicide.

Seeing Robin's look of astonish, Slade stood up. "I assume that you have learned your lesson?" he asked. Robin continued to stare into space and Slade snapped his fingers. "Robin!" he shouted. Robin's eyes re-focused and he looked up at Slade. "Have you learned your lesson?" he repeated.

"What?" Robin looked genuinely confused. What was he supposed to have learned?

"Not to let anyone kill you!" Sometimes Slade doubted Robin's intelligence. Robin's face changed to an expression of understanding.

"Oh, no, I don't know what came over me," he admitted, not particularly knowing why he was divulging the information to Slade. He must be very tired. Robin pulled the sheets up to his neck; suddenly feeling exposed despite being fully clothed. He really didn't like the idea of being in Slade's bedroom.

"So next time someone is attacking you, I expect you to finish them," Slade commanded. Robin stared at him blankly, not knowing what to say. If he said no, then he would probably get every other rib he had broken. But if he said yes, then he would be agreeing to commit murder. He was at a standstill.

He opened his mouth and made a small throaty sound before closing it again. He truly did not know what to say to that. He still didn't even understand how he felt about yesterday. Killing criminals was a very gray area; it was too easy to go the wrong way, to fall into darkness. He was always taught that it was wrong, no matter what. But, is it if absolutely necessary? Would it be okay to kill someone in self defense? His head was beginning to hurt from all of the philosophical and ethical thinking.

Slade could see the internal struggle in Robin and smiled in satisfaction. It was working, he was getting Robin to think, and that was the first step. All he would need to do is find an ethical conundrum to confuse Robin and then, boom: assassin in training. And Slade knew exactly how to make that happen. He had spent all night planning, and he had come up with the perfect strategy. There was no way Robin was going to get out of this one…

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Yes, I know, it was a bit short and unnecessary... But it is kind of an in-between chapter... The next will be more along the lines of my usual chapters.

Please for the sake of all that is good, review! I love reading reviews! Thank you!


	10. The Voice of Reason

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

In honor of making it to Chapter Ten, especially considering that I never intended to write a full story based off of Chapter One, I would like to thank **Mireilles3**, **dlsky**, and **RachelClaire **for continuing to support Finding Robin and for writing regular reviews! Couldn't do it without you guys!

Considering that I never thought I would get one review or follower, I would like to thank you all! So, here is a nice long chapter for you! Sorry it took so long!

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-Jump City: Present Day-

Raven strolled into the main ops room, Cyborg having asked her to meet with him there when the room was clear. She could see him sitting on the couch, a look of anticipation on his face. _This can't be good._ She could feel the nerves flowing off of him and it was beginning to affect her. He turned his body to face her and greeted her with a wave of the hand and a slight smile.

She strode over to the couch with confidence and sat down opposite of him. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" she asked as she crossed her legs, her tone professional. All she knew was that Cyborg had something serious to discuss with her. He looked around the room guardedly, making sure that Starfire and Beast Boy were still gone.

"Thanks for agreeing to speak with me. First of all, I would like to ask you to keep an open mind and stay throughout the entire conversation, please." She nodded solemnly and Cyborg sat up straighter. _Here we go…_ "I have been thinking about this from every angle and I want your opinion." She looked at him inventively, her face remaining unreadable. "I would like to go to New York," he stated with gravity.

He studied Raven's face, waiting for her response. She sat there, unmoving and completely silent. Her face remained impassive; giving Cyborg no clue as to what she was thinking. "Why is that?" she asked calmly. She was trying her best to do as he asked and keep an open mind, but it was very difficult. Perhaps he had found something, though she highly doubted it. She fought the temptation to get up and walk away.

_ "_I read a news report today that led me to believe that New York is worth visiting. I still have my doubts as to whether or not it has anything to do with Robin, but we would be better informed if we went there," he mused, trying to appeal to her logical side. Raven took a deep breath and blinked slowly.

"What did the report say?" _Keep an open mind…. Keep an open mind… He is your friend… Keep an open mind… _Cyborg could tell that she was already having a hard time listening to him.

"Someone attacked a biotech company yesterday. It is believed that the company may have been robbed and the attacker was described as a young male disguised as a scientist." Raven's face remained unresponsive as he spoke, "A flash bomb was used to distract the guards in the security room and half of the lab was blown up."

"And _how_ does this pertain to Robin?" Raven was trying to contain her agitation, but her façade was already falling apart at the seams. She had been having problems controlling her emotions lately when it came to new 'leads'. She was just so done with the disappointment, with the false hope, with the visits, with it all.

"Like I said, I am not sure if this has to do with Robin, but something is going on in New York. I think it is worth investigating," he explained.

"And we cannot do that from home?" she asked tensely.

"We will have better recourses there. We only have access to what makes it to the news here, but there, we could really look into it." He was trying his best to appeal to her reasoning, but she was not having it.

"Cyborg, in a major city like New York, there will be crime. You could find similar reports in any other city and claim that it is Robin, but that does not make it any more plausible," she reasoned. Cyborg could see her point, but what if it was Robin? What if they missed him just because they were doubtful? It was worth a shot, wasn't it?

"Raven, I understand your reservations, but what if we let him slip through our fingers again?" he asked as she winced slightly. "What if this is really him? And we miss saving him just because we couldn't make a simple trip to New York? And even if it isn't, and I understand why you believe that, is it not worth looking into? I mean, this is Robin we are talking about…this is our friend we are talking about." He kept his voice calm and coherent, not wanting to anger her into leaving the room.

"The thing is, Cyborg, this is not Robin. I do not honestly see how you, with your logical mind, made a connection between that news article and Robin. Tech companies get robbed all of the time, and it sounds to me like it was sabotaged, not robbed." Cyborg was about to interrupt her when she stopped him, "It has been two years Cyborg, be honest, we are never, _ever_, going to find him! Slade is too cunning to let that happen; he would never attack a company and make national news. It is too public, too easy…." She paused and leaned forward, looking him in the eyes. "After all that we have been through, after all the cities we have gone to, after all the disappointment? Do you honestly want to do that again? I don't think the team can handle a loss again, Cyborg." He sighed and looked down, not wanting her to see him break.

"Why can't you just let go? Really, bringing this up now? Especially after last night? It was the first time in almost two years that we had a night together where Robin wasn't mentioned. It was the first time in almost two years that we have truly, genuinely enjoyed ourselves. Do you honestly want to mess that up? We are finally starting to move on, Cyborg. Why can't you see that?" Cyborg looked at her in disbelief; he couldn't believe that was giving up. "Don't look at me like that; I know that you have given up any real hope of finding Robin. You just won't admit it to yourself." Cyborg looked down shamefully, seeing some truth in what she had just said.

He sat there, thinking her words over for several minutes before finding something to say. "That may be true, I may have lost hope, but that doesn't mean that I have given up on Robin. He is our friend and he deserves our best effort in rescuing him," he sighed as he looked back up into her eyes. She could see the determination and pain in his face.

"We_ have_ given our best effort Cyborg! We have given all that we have, and then some! You have seen what all of this incessant searching has done to our team! We aren't even a team anymore!" she shouted, her temper flaring. She stopped and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and gain control. _Peace, Calm, Tranquility… Peace, Calm, Tranquility… _She sighed and opened her eyes to look at Cyborg.

"I know…." he whispered, his face desolate. They all knew that they weren't a team; Raven was just the first one to admit it. Her eyes softened and she walked over to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and looking deep into his sorrowful eyes.

"I am sorry, but you need to stop looking for him in places that he isn't. You need to move on; _we _need to move on. We can't keep living like this Cyborg, it will destroy us," she said softly. Behind her emotionless persona, her heart was breaking. She hated giving up on Robin, but it was what was best for the team. And if she had to be the bad guy, then so be it.

"ARE YOU EVEN KIDDING ME?!" A voice shouted from the corner, full of rage. Raven and Cyborg both jumped and looked over to the source of the noise, thinking that they were alone. In the kitchen stood a heaving and red faced Beast Boy. "ARE YOU EVEN _KIDDING_ ME?!" he repeated, this time with more emphasis. He stormed over to the couch and stopped abruptly, standing several feet from Raven. "HOW COULD YOU?! _You… you… you_ heartless _bitch_!" he spat. Raven looked at him, her expression indifferent and seemingly un-phased by what he had just called her.

Cyborg stood up, facing Beast Boy with his hand on Raven's shoulder. "Hey man, don't call her that. She is just looking out for the team."

Beast Boy glared at Cyborg, the fury practically pouring off of him. "NO! She is just looking out for herself! And you are defending her?! After what she just said about Robin?!" Raven pulled Cyborg's hand off of her and turned to face the blazing Beast Boy.

"BB, calm down. She is just being reasonable," Cyborg pointed out, trying to diffuse the situation before it blew up. But he knew that no matter what he did, when it came to Raven and Beast Boy, he couldn't stop an explosive situation.

"NO! She is just being cold-blooded!" He looked Raven directly in the eyes, "You may not care about finding Robin, but we do! So stop trying to convince everyone else otherwise, you… you pathetic-"

"Beast Boy!" Cyborg interjected, trying to stop him from calling her any more names. Raven just stood there, looking at Beast Boy with a wary eye. She never knew what he was going to do in these types of situations. Beast Boy looked at Cyborg for a moment before stepping closer to Raven and looking up into her face with determination. She held her ground as he stood inches away from her, breathing on her neck.

"Why don't you just _leave…_ And I don't mean going to your room, I mean really leave! Like get out of the tower!" Raven tried her best to not slap him across the face right then. "If you don't care about Robin anymore, then you have no place on this team or in this tower," he asserted.

"I am not leaving my home just because you have a problem with handling the truth," she said coolly. He raised his hand and Cyborg ran to him, holding it back. Raven stepped back in astonishment; did he seriously just raise a hand to her? "Do not threaten me," she growled.

"Look, why don't we all just calm down?" Cyborg pleaded as he held Beast Boy's arm back. Raven glared down at Beast Boy crossly, trying to listen to Cyborg's reasoning. The doors slid open and Cyborg looked up while the other two continued to glare at each other. "Oh, great…" he mumbled under his breath.

"Is there something wrong? I heard shouting," a soft voice asked concernedly. Raven looked back at the yawning Tameranian, becoming more displeased how things were going. These two weren't even supposed to be here in the first place! And why did everything have to turn into a fight with Beast Boy? _Immature child… _

"No Star, we were just having a discussion," Cyborg reassured. He looked down at the fuming Beast Boy with worry. _Please, don't do it Beast Boy… Don't do it…_

"We are just arguing because _RAVEN_ wants us to give up on finding Robin completely!" he bellowed across the room. Cyborg sighed in disappointment and Raven shook her head at Beast Boy in contempt. _Why Beast Boy, why? _He couldn't just leave it be, no, he had to go and involve Starfire!

Starfire glanced at Raven with a look of confused betrayal, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "What? Why would you want to do that?" she asked Raven, her tone sweet and sad. The sound of her voice combined with the expression on her face was heartbreaking. Beast Boy felt a small twinge of regret, but not enough to make him take it back. Raven deserved what was coming to her. It was long overdue…

"I didn't say that I wanted to give up on Robin completely," she shot Beast Boy a glare; "I just said that maybe it was time that we started moving on." Starfire covered her mouth with her hands and started to shake her head, tears now streaming down her face.

"See, look what you did!" Beast Boy accused and Raven turned around to look at him with astonishment.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"That's right! This is all your fault! See what you did!" Starfire's face was now red and tears began to fall down her cheeks as she stared in disbelief at Raven.

"_You_ are the one who said something to her! How could you do that?! You know how badly she takes it! Was that some way of getting back at me? Because if so, you are truly _pathetic!_" she hissed, trying not to let Starfire hear. Beast Boy stood his ground, staring at her with an expression of victory. There was no way Starfire would side with _her._ There was no way she was going to get away with it this time.

Cyborg walked over to Starfire and started to wrap his arms around her shoulders to console her, but she shrugged him off and walked further into the room. "I do not understand! Why would you want to stop looking for Robin?" she asked, her voice rising in volume.

"I am just saying that we should try to move on, it is what is best for the team." Raven could feel this going badly fast and was trying to get control of the situation before it got out of hand. Not that she could with Beast Boy in the room.

"How is that what is best for the team?!" she shouted, her usual sweet tone completely gone. "Is Robin not a part of the team?" she asked shakily. Raven stood there with her mouth slightly open, not knowing what to say. Beast Boy walked over to Starfire and stood at her side while Cyborg stood behind the two, watching the situation turn sour.

"Why will you not answer me?!" she shouted, her body swelling with anger. The two glared at Raven from across the couch, bearing down on her with their rage.

"Star," Raven started.

"NO! You are a traitor! If you give up on Robin, then you give up on us!" Beast Boy nodded in conjecture, glad that he was finally being sided with. Raven stood there contemplating her options, not quite knowing what to do next. She basically had two choices: continue hopelessly looking for Robin or lose all of her friends. Searching for Robin made them all absolutely miserable, so what quality of life was that? Why couldn't they just see things from her point of view? Why did she always have to be the voice of reason? Couldn't someone else be the bad guy for once? She looked over to Cyborg for support, but he just gazed at her with glazed eyes, completely dumbfounded.

"Star-" Raven started, this time not being interrupted, "I don't know what to say." She truly didn't; what could she possibly say to diffuse the situation? _Oh don't worry Star, we will find him… Don't worry; it's only been two years… Don't worry; we are on the clutches of finding him for real this time…_ She could say all these things; the only problem was that they weren't true. Was it better to tell a lie to make her feel better or to tell the truth so that they could all move on?

"Then just _go_," Beast Boy spat. He looked at her face fixedly, his eyes full of resentment.

"Beast Boy," Cyborg moaned. He didn't want things to go this way; he didn't want the team to fight. It killed him that this was how they spoke to each other now; Robin would be so disappointed.

"No, it's fine Cyborg." Raven declared, not taking her eyes away from Beast Boy's. "Beast Boy is right, maybe I should just go," she exhaled. Starfire's anger had subsided and she was now sobbing into her hands, not knowing what to do or say. She didn't want Raven to go, but she had said such horrible things! How could she give up on their leader and friend?!

Raven started to walk towards the front doors. "Raven!" Cyborg shouted to her back, trying to get her to come back. The doors closed behind her and he stood there looking at them for a few moments before turning on Beast Boy. "That was _not_ cool, BB."

"She deserved it," he murmured. Starfire started to cry harder next to him and the two looked at her. _Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut BB? Why?_

"Star, it'll be okay, we'll-" Cyborg started, but she ran out of the room, heading to her bedroom to cry. "Keep… looking for him…" he trailed off as the doors closed behind her. Beast Boy stood across from him, his expression defiant. "That was unnecessary BB," he sighed.

Beast Boy gazed at him before beginning to walk towards the doors. "Whatever," he mumbled as he passed Cyborg, leaving the robotic teenager with a look of astonishment on his face. _Why can't anything go right with us anymore… _

-Nearly a year and a half ago-

"Is this ever going to be done?" Beast Boy complained. He was standing in the main ops room across from Cyborg and Starfire. The room smelled of wood chips and paint and every surface in the room was covered in plastic, from the floor to the roof. It was even taped around the newly installed windows, warping the light that entered into the room. The beams fell at odd angles all along the plastic and Beast Boy had been admiring them before succumbing to boredom and griping.

"Be happy that we have a floor BB," Cyborg retorted. The floor was a new installation. The explosion not only caved the floor in, but it also destroyed the structure of the beams below. It took over three months to get the room to be structurally stable enough for a floor to be properly installed.

It had been about four months since Robin was kidnapped and the Titans were still recuperating from the attack. They had been spending the past four months supervising reconstruction and searching for Robin in every possible place. They were determined; there was no time for mourning with Robin out there, waiting to be found. Cyborg didn't want the team to fall apart under emotional stress, so he made sure to emphasize that they needed to focus on searching, not crying. So, on the outside, they all seemed to have it together. They were rebuilding and researching with strength, none of them faltering even once. But of course, when alone, each had to deal with the loss. That was why they preferred not to be alone, they were afraid to be. Well, most of them were…

"I'm just saying, it has been four months! We built this room from scratch faster than that years ago! What's taking so long?" Beast Boy whined. He was sick of having to do all of the work in the lobby, it just didn't feel right. Plus, it was on a completely different floor than their rooms, and he was sick of going back and forth all day.

"We have been a little busy with more pressing matters Beast Boy," Cyborg explained. It was true, had they not been searching all day and night for Robin, the room would have been done months ago. But he wasn't about to put Robin on hold just so that they could be more comfortable.

Beast Boy, having nothing to say, transformed into a gorilla and lifted up a large box. He carried it over to Cyborg and dropped it onto the floor with a large _thud_. "Yo! BB! We_ just_ got these floors! Don't go messing them up already!" Beast Boy beat his chest with his fists several times before transforming back into a human and walking away chuckling. _At least someone still has a sense of humor…_ Cyborg rolled his eyes at Beast Boy's back and continued to pull appliances out of the boxes.

"The kitchen is almost done?" Starfire's soft voice asked. They had been eating take out for months and she missed cooking her Tameranian dishes, not that she really had much motivation to do so anyways. Cyborg looked up at her and nodded.

"Yeah, that's why we are finally installing the appliances. It should be up and running in a week," he replied, continuing to pull small objects out of the boxes. Starfire lifted a large slate of countertop above her head and walked over to the kitchen.

"Where do I place the top-counter?" she asked, holding the slab like it was a large feather. Cyborg walked over and directed her towards the newly painted counters. Together, they placed the granite slate down and fastened it. Across the room, Beast Boy was sitting on a plastic wrapped couch, making screeching noises as he wiggled around.

"Hey, where is Raven?" he shouted across the room. Neither Starfire nor Cyborg looked up as they adjusted the counter. "I mean, shouldn't she be helping?" he declared. He wasn't so much unhappy about her not helping, as he was unhappy about her missing company. Ever since the attack, she had been more silent and reclusive than usual. _And that was saying something._ Even when she was with them, something felt off. Her persona was impassive as usual, but she just felt different. She even stopped insulting Beast Boy's jokes; in fact, she stopped responding to anything that wasn't work related completely.

"Ummm, I'm not sure…" Cyborg sighed, "Probably in her room." He wished that she would spend more time with the team; it would be good for her. He didn't even want to imagine what she did alone all day. Personally, he believed that she took it the hardest. Although Starfire seemed to be the most distressed on the outside, she was still very hopeful; but Raven, she seemed to be shattered. Of course, the other two didn't see what Cyborg did. He often wondered if he was the most perceptive person in the house.

Beast Boy stood up and made towards the door, "I'm going to go find her," he declared. Cyborg turned around to face the boy as he strode towards the entrance.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea; she probably wants to be alone. It might be best to just leave her be," Cyborg stated. He didn't feel like angering her today. Today was supposed to be relaxing and fun.

"Nah, she needs to get her butt out here and enjoy our company!" Beast Boy seemed unusually upbeat today. Perhaps it was the new floors or the new found lead on Robin; but whatever it was, it seemed to put a bounce in his step. He strolled out of the room, leaving Cyborg and Starfire to continue installing the appliances alone.

...

Inside her room, Raven could hear three faint knocks. _Please, go away._ She was in the middle of a very interesting book and did not want to be disturbed. She just hoped that whoever it was would leave. _Knock, knock, knock… _She sighed in frustration and placed the book face down on the bed. "What?" she asked, standing a few feet from the door.

On the other side of the door, Beast Boy could hear a faint voice. He stood up straight, trying to build up his courage, and began to speak. "Hey, I was just thinking that-um- you should come out and help us with the ops room," he mumbled. _That didn't come out right_; not only was his voice weak, but he made it sound like he just wanted her around to work. In reality, he wanted her company.

"Beast Boy, you are going to have to speak louder if you want me to understand you," she said. All she had heard was a faint mumble. _What could he possibly want? _She just wanted to go back and finish her book. The truth was, books were her greatest escape. Not meditation, not sipping tea, but reading. Books allowed her go into another world and forget all of her troubles, and she liked that.

Beast Boy rested his hand against the door and leaned his entire weight on it, letting his head hang. "Look Rae, just open the door." He didn't want to talk through a wall, it was too impersonal. "Please," he pleaded softly. His tone had struck her and she opened the door, causing Beast Boy to stumble forward. He stood up straight and examined her face.

"You asked me to open the door…when you were leaning on it?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well, honestly, I didn't expect you to open it," he laughed. Her face remained blank and he started to cough, letting the laughter die out. She looked at him, her face expectant, but he just stared back, his mind beginning to blank.

"So, did you come here to tell me something? Or did you just want to stare at me?" she asked, causing him to blush. He cleared his throat; somehow being around her always made him nervous. He didn't quite know why, but he just accepted it as fact; though it had gotten worse since Robin disappeared.

"We are out working on the ops room, and I just figured that you should- you know- like come out and help…" he rambled. She raised her eyebrows at the green boy in front of her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked, her tone becoming slightly hostile. Beast Boy's face fell and he started shaking his head.

"No, no, no, no… I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that I, we would all like you to come and spend time with us…." _Genius… Man do I have a way with words… _She cocked her head for a moment before turning around and walking back towards her bed. Beast Boy stood in the doorway and hesitated before following her into her room. "Hasn't changed much since the last time I was here," he pointed. _Hasn't changed at all actually…._

She whipped around to look at the boy in her room. "Did I give you permission to come in?" she asked rhetorically. He was poking around in one of her shelves, looking at the strange objects that decorated it. "Beast Boy!" He jumped up, having nearly just touched a monkey's paw, and looked over. "Do-not-touch-anything!" she growled. Didn't he learn his lesson the last time he had come in her room? Or was being stuck in her mind not enough of an experience for him?

"Yeah, sorry…" he mumbled as he scratched the back of his neck. He walked over to where Raven was standing, stopping right in front of her. She didn't quite feel comfortable with how close he was standing to her, his aura was overwhelming. _He must be very nervous… _"Rae, don't take this the wrong way, but what's wrong?" he asked. This had taken her aback; she had not expected that to be the reason that he was here. "I mean, you have been more…antisocial… than usual and I just want to know if everything was okay…" he elaborated.

Had she really been that reclusive? Did the others notice? She pulled her hood over her face, hiding her features in a large shadow, much to Beast Boy's dismay. He hated when she hid under her hood. He felt like she was hiding from herself more than she was hiding from them.

"It's nothing, I have just really been into a book lately, that's all," she lied. Beast Boy may be gullible, but he wasn't stupid. He knew that she was going to lie before she even replied.

"For the past four months?" he asked humorously, trying to see her eyes through the hood.

"I read a lot of books Beast Boy, you know that." Her voice remained solid despite the fact that Beast Boy's face was leaning closer to hers. _What is he doing?_ After a few moments of him inching closer to her face she snapped. "What are you _doing?!_" She really didn't like it when people invaded her personal space, and Beast Boy had already done that when he entered her room. She might be able to tolerate him being there, but she could not put up with his face being that close to hers.

Beast Boy immediately backed up and looked down shamefully. "Can you take off your hood?" he asked softly. Raven felt kind of sorry for snapping at him, but then again, he was getting uncomfortably close to her. When she didn't respond, he decided to try a different approach. "I just want to see your face Raven, I hate it when you hide under your hood," he admitted nervously. _Hopefully she doesn't throw me out of the room for saying that… _

Raven looked at him thoughtfully; she didn't quite know what to make of that. Knowing that he was being genuine, she lowered her hood and looked away. "See? That wasn't so bad!" he teased, "I like it better that way!" He suddenly looked down at the floor as his face began to flush, feeling embarrassed about that last remark.

"So… you want help? Then let's get going," she said as made towards the door. Beast Boy could see right through her. He knew that she was just avoiding the topic.

"You didn't answer my question," he stated as he sat down on her bed. When she didn't respond, Beast Boy threw his arms into the air in exasperation. "See! This is your problem! You refuse to open up to anybody! We are your _friends_ Raven! I am your friend! And do you know what friends do?" he asked, pausing to look at her. "They help each other! But we can't help you if you refuse to tell us what's wrong!" His voice began to soften as it turned into a whisper, "Raven, you are not alone. You don't ever have to be alone… Even if you don't want to tell me what is bothering you, you still should. It helps, trust me! You can't just bottle it all up all the time, it isn't good for you! Just tell me and I promise… I promise that I will not judge you, that I will do my best to help you through it." She gawked at him, awestruck by his declaration. She never knew that Beast Boy cared so much.

She opened her mouth and a small sound escaped, but no words formed. She had never been speechless in her life. What was she supposed to even say to that? "Rae, please. I don't like seeing you this unhappy, it hurts me, it hurts all of us…" he murmured softly, standing and walking towards her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She tried to look away, but found that she couldn't. "Is it Robin?" he asked cautiously. She broke his gaze and walked over to her bed, sitting down where he had been a moment ago.

After a few moments of silence, she spoke, "I was there…"

"What?" He genuinely had no idea what that was supposed to mean…

"I was there when it happened…" she elaborated, this time slightly louder and clearer.

He walked over to the bed and sat down next to her, observing her profile. "Yeah, so was I…" he replied. He didn't understand where she was going with this, but decided to let her speak. This had been the furthest anyone had come with her in months.

"No, I was with Robin…" she stated; he could hear a faint tone of pain in her voice. "I was with him when he got kidnapped…" She continued looking down at the floor, trying to control her emotions. They had just finished patching up one hole in the tower, they didn't need another one.

Beast Boy watched her stare at the ground in concern; she had never said anything about the night that Robin went missing. They always just assumed that she didn't remember. "I was supposed to stay with him, but I left him in his room while I went wandering into the hallway…. If I wouldn't have left him alone…." she sighed, her voice catching. Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows.

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?" he asked.

"If it wasn't for me, he would still be here. If I wasn't so stupid, if I would have just fought back…" she rambled before stopping. A large lump built up in her throat and she could feel her emotions starting to take over. Beast Boy grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to face him, much to her surprise. He looked at her with an intensity that she had not seen in him before.

"What happened to Robin was not your fault! Do not _ever_ say that it was your fault!" he commanded, his voice powerful.

"But if I had just-" she attempted before being cut off.

"NO! You did everything that you could! We all did! How were we supposed to know what was going to happen to him?" he asked in all seriousness. She swallowed, not knowing what else to say, when he pulled her into a bear hug.

"Beast Boy…" she said uncomfortably. She was not someone who liked to hug…

"Raven, don't blame yourself… none of us, especially you, are to blame… You did everything you could and I am sure that he knows that," he whispered into her ear. "We are going to find him, but in the meantime, promise me that you will not blame yourself." He pulled her out of the hug and she opened her mouth, trying to find the words. "Promise me," he commanded. She nodded her head in compliance and he pulled her into a hug once again.

After a few moments of the embrace, Raven found her speech again. "Beast Boy, if you don't let me go, I will throw you out of the new windows in the ops room," she growled, causing him to laugh and pull back.

"That's the spirit!" he chuckled before standing up and making his way towards the door.

…

"Okay, that should just about do it. Looks like we are done for the day," Cyborg exclaimed happily while clapping his hands together to get the dust off of them. Starfire stood across from him, covered in grease and dust.

"There is nothing more that requires our effort?" she asked. They had finished installing the countertops, the refrigerator, and the sink, and there were large boxes and wrapping paper everywhere. "Do we not need to put in the cooking box?" she added, looking over to the large box containing the stove.

"Nah, we can do that tomorrow. The way I figure it, we deserve a break after a hard day's work!" he enthused. She nodded and pulled the rubber gloves off of her hands; she had been cleaning the appliances, making them look as new as they were. "Why don't you go and take a shower? Relax a bit?" he suggested.

"But what about our continuing of the search for Robin?" she asked, her voice choking up slightly towards the end of the sentence. They normally spent several hours each morning and night to search and she did not feel like taking the night off to 'relax'.

"I'll do that tonight, I just need to follow up on that lead in Germany. I'll be staring at a computer screen all night anyways, you don't need to suffer with me," he joked. Ever since expanding their search to other countries, they had found some promise in Berlin. He planned on researching it thoroughly online, but he really wanted to go and check on it in person… Little did he know that when they would get there, Robin and Slade would be long gone to another city… That this would be the vicious cycle for the next year and a half: going to a city, just to find that the lead was now dead. Little did he know how many times they would come close to truly finding Robin, but miss it by a day or two. If only he could know that after traveling to five or so cities just to find nothing, they would pretty much stop going outside.

Starfire nodded in disappointment, wanting to be a part of the search. She felt useless when she wasn't doing anything. "I guess I will go and take the shower…" she mumbled in defeat as she turned to walk out of the room.

Out in the hallway, she stopped to check that no one was around before standing still and closing her eyes. Taking a deep breath she tried to lift off of the ground, wanting to levitate just an inch above the floor. _Come on…. Fly…._She started to bounce up and down before fully jumping off of the ground and of course, landing back down. No matter what she did, she could not stay in the air. _Come on… think of something happy… _She started to rack her brain for anything that could bring her joy.

She began to think of the morning sunrise, the sensation of a cool breeze on her face, the feeling of the wind whipping her hair back as she flew, the sound of her friends laughing, _Robin_…. Behind her eyelids, she could see his face. In her ears, she could hear his voice. In her bones, she could feel his presence. Her heart began to swell and her feet began to lift off the floor as she rose up a few inches into the air. She could hear his laugh and see his bright smile.

Memories began to flood her mind as she thought of him. She could see him dancing with her at Kitty's prom… She could see him arriving with Raven in child form… She could see him sitting on the roof top in Tokyo… She could see him riding his motorcycle off into the night while she chased Red X… She could see him walk down a dark hallway as she was ordered to follow Beast Boy and Cyborg…. Her heart sank and she fell straight down to the floor, landing on all fours. Tears started to flow down her face as she sank further down, resting her forehead on the ground. Little did she know that a young green teen was standing behind the wall of an adjacent hallway, listening to her sobs with a stabbing pain in his heart.

* * *

Once again, thank you all for your continued support! I honestly would have never continued the story had it not been for all of you! Reading your reviews inspires me to keep writing, and I definitely take what you have to say in mind. I have already shifted my Story Map around a few times to accommodate your suggestions, so please review with what you think! Thank you!


	11. Shadow Assassin

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Warning: Violence and Language

I would like to apologize for the serious delay, I was on vacation and had no time to write, so I had to beast this out in the past two days! I'm rather fond of this chapter actually...

I will be posting new chapters on my regular timeline for the next week until I go on vacation again... For now, enjoy the nice long chapter!

* * *

-Jump City: Present Day-

It had been a full day since the massive blowout that Cyborg and Raven's conversation turned out to be. Raven had stayed in her room the entire day afterwards, not even coming out to eat, and Beast Boy had been lounging around in the ops room all day, refusing to go to his own room. Cyborg honestly didn't know why he refused to go to his room, perhaps he had expected Raven to come out eventually and didn't want to miss an opportunity to yell at her some more. He hadn't seen Starfire all day either and presumed that she was hiding out in her room, but in reality, she hadn't been there since the fight.

…

Starfire's face stung with tears and she felt that she couldn't take it anymore; she couldn't stay in the room. "Star, it'll be okay, we'll-" Cyborg started, but she didn't stay to hear the rest as she fled the room. After the door shut behind her, she stood in silence for a minute or so, tears continuing to flow down her face. She couldn't understand what was happening to them, why were they falling apart? How was it that they had come to the point of mutual hatred? Her heart jumped and in a fit of hormones, she began to run. Where to she did not know, nor did she care. All she wanted to do was run, to let her body take over for once and just be free. So she let her body take her where it wanted to go, letting it follow its own whims as she let her mind shut down.

She wasn't thinking, her mind had become foggy; it was as if she wasn't there, as if her mind had floated away. It felt like she was drowning, like her mind was stuck in a misty vapor. Suddenly, she stopped and fell to the floor. She didn't know how long she had been dashing through the halls, but she was definitely out of breath. Her lungs were burning and she felt dizzy as her senses returned to her, as her mind returned to her. She began to feel the burn in her legs and the heat rising in her face; she could even smell the faint scent of smoke.

She slowly opened her eyes to see a hallway covered in what looked like dirty snow. Dust particles danced in front of her eyes as she looked at the ash filled corridor. She sat there in shock, knowing where she was. Her subconscious must have led her here. She lifted her head and looked to her left. A tall door stood, covered in dust and bearing a nameplate.

"Robin," she whispered to herself numbly. It had been so long since she had seen that door… so long… She felt a twinge of pain in her abdomen as she thought back to all the times she had come to this door. She had become so very familiar with it after their excursion in Tokyo. She missed seeing it, knocking on it, entering it… Sucking in a breath, and coughing on the dust in the air, she stood up and approached it. She placed her hand on the plate and began to trace the name with her fingertips. "Robin," she whispered again in pain.

No one, except Raven, had been down this hallway since the attack, not even to clean. Cyborg wanted to investigate for clues, but for some reason, every time he came close he couldn't find the strength to step one foot into that hallway. Starfire had thought about it often, but felt that it would be too much heartbreak to go into his room; and Beast Boy just tended to steer away from depressing things. Raven had gone down the hallway once, just a few nights ago. She didn't know why, but her feet had led her there, just as Starfire's had. She stood at the doorway for several minutes before dropping her book and running away; leaving Cyborg to find the book later when he passed the hallway. Otherwise, no one had been down there in years, and certainly no one had been in his room.

She pressed her face against the door, half way expecting to hear something. Of course she knew that she wouldn't, so for the moment, she just enjoyed the cool touch against her skin. She wasn't certain if she wanted to go inside, it would be depressing yes, but somehow she felt a need to. There was a certain draw to it, like it was calling to her, beckoning for her to enter. She pulled her face back and with all of the courage that she had in her body, she opened the door.

Immediately, dust and ash swirled into the room, flying into the air and circling the area. She stood in the doorway, seemingly glued to that spot on the floor. The room was exactly as she remembered it, save for some slight differences. What once was a clean, bright room was now a filthy, dark one. There wasn't a surface in the room that was not covered in inches of dust. Even the carpet was a different color than it had originally been. The ash particles began to settle on top of the thick coats of dust, leaving the room completely still and lifeless. Starfire took note of the large spider webs spread across several corners of the room.

It hurt Starfire to see Robin's room in such a state. He prided himself on keeping a clean and organized bedroom, and now look at it, look what it had become. It looked so empty, like no one had ever lived there. It really seemed to drive the fact that he was gone deeper into her, giving her a fresh stabbing pain in her heart.

Her left hand trailed along the wall, searching for the light switch. As the lights turned on, she wiped the large coat of dust that was on her hand onto her skirt. The room hadn't seen light in so long that it almost felt unnatural, almost _looked_ unnatural. She stepped further into the room and the door slid shut behind her with a screech, most likely due to all the years of nonexistent maintenance.

_What now? Was this supposed to make me feel better? Because it didn't! _She was about to storm out of the room when she saw the closet. It was wide open and several dusty uniforms were on display, waiting to be worn. A lump in her throat began to build as she looked at the familiar suit, the one that she hadn't seen in person in so long. She had almost forgotten what it looked like, how bright its colors were… though of course they were faded from sitting in a closet for so long.

She walked to the closet slowly, taking her time. Her hand found its way to the sleeve and she stroked it gently, appreciating the texture of the fabric and the feeling of the material. She closed her eyes as she relished the familiar, yet forgotten feeling. It had been so long, yet it felt exactly the same as she remembered it, as if she had touched it yesterday. How many times she had felt this uniform…. Her face started to become hot and she could feel her stomach drop to the floor. She pulled the suit off of the hanger and walked over to the bed, cradling it in her arms. _Am I going crazy?_ Normal people don't just fondle articles of clothing. Of course, normal people don't have their friends stolen by psycho mercenaries either…

She plopped onto the bed and a cloud of dust billowed around her, having not been disturbed in a long time. Tears began to stream down her face as she slumped onto the bed, lying down on her back and looking at the ceiling with watery eyes. The suit rested across her torso as she continued to stroke it, replaying all of the fond memories of him in her mind. And so she lay there all night and all of the next day, staring at the ceiling with a blank expression, and not leaving for so much as food.

…

It was now the early morning, almost two days after the fight, and Cyborg hoped that today, unlike yesterday, they could all get together and be nice. Though he highly doubted it, things just seemed to get worse as time went on. Hopefully what he was about to do would change the atmosphere in the tower. He walked along the hallway, a small paper in hand, before stopping in front of a door. He knocked softly and stood back, praying that he got a response. After several minutes of silence, he tried again, this time more forcefully. "Come on, its Cyborg… the least you can do is answer me," he pleaded through the door.

A faint ruffle could be heard inside and the sound of soft footsteps followed. He stepped back once again, hoping that he would be let inside. Within moments the door slid open and a head peeked out into the hallway, looking both ways to see if anyone else was there. Cyborg raised his eyebrows and held his hands up in peace. "I'm alone, I just want to show you something," he said, trying to sound peaceful.

Raven stepped to the side, beckoning for Cyborg to come in, much to his surprise. He had half expected her to slam the door shut in his face, and that was if she even opened the door. But for some reason, she seemed perfectly calm and almost… _glad_ that he had come… It was quite a shock to Cyborg. He entered the room and the door slid shut behind him; Raven didn't want any unexpected guests in the conversation this time. He lifted up his paper, about to begin explaining his visit, when he was interrupted.

Raven turned around to face Cyborg with a look of shame on her face. "Look Cyborg, before you get started on whatever you are going to show me, let me just say something." He nodded, slightly taken aback by the statement, but allowed her to continue. "About what happened the other night… I just wanted to say that I am sorry…" she sighed. Cyborg was surprised to say the least by this declaration; he had definitely not expected her to apologize. "I was wrong," she continued, "Giving up on Robin isn't what is best for the team; I can see that now. I didn't realize how much hope you all still had and I think it is best that we continue searching for him." Most of what she was saying was true, though she still did believe that moving on was necessary as well. She had thought about what Cyborg had said all day yesterday, and as much as it pained her to admit that she was wrong, she thought it best to apologize. She didn't want to lose her only remaining friends because of her stubbornness.

"I think that if you want to visit New York, then we should visit New York. You were right; we shouldn't let him slip through our fingers because we have doubts. He deserves better than that, he deserves to be rescued." Cyborg regarded her for a few moments with a look of astonishment on his face. _Did she really just say that?_ He waited for her to continue, but she remained silent.

"Um, well… wow… I didn't expect that. Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded in response. "So you are fine with going to New York?" he elaborated, making sure to be cautious. He wanted to make sure there was no confusion.

"All that I am asking is that you be careful when taking us to New York. I don't want to find another dead lead, we can't handle that. I am asking that you be completely sure before you fly us out there." Cyborg nodded at her solemnly; she did make a good point. He had to be sure before he sent the team there; there would be no mistakes or broken hearts this time. "Can you do that? Can you promise me that?" she asked in all seriousness. She was not joking around with this deal, she meant business.

"Yeah," he answered. "In fact, I have something that you might be interested in," he said as he waved the paper in the air. Raven looked at it guardedly as he handed it over to her, not certain as to what he was showing her. Cyborg nodded as she looked at him, indicating for her to read it. He watched as her eyes scanned over the freshly printed paper and grinned as they widened towards the end. She glanced up after finishing, her face full of shock and elation. _Is this for real?_ "So, what do you think?" he asked. She looked back down at the paper, reading it carefully for a second time and considering all that it had to say.

"I think that we found Robin," she replied breathlessly as she finished scanning the paper. In that moment, Cyborg could see the real Raven, the one that he had only seen a hand full of times in all the years that he had known her. She looked back down at the paper, a small smile decorating her face as she read it for the third time.

-New York-

"So, you are telling me that we have no product on the streets?" a man asked agitatedly. The men sitting at the table around him remained silent, afraid to answer. Staying quiet would just piss him off, but confirming the statement would just piss him off further.

A short, burly man sat at the head of the table, glaring at all of his men. "Yes," a taller man to his right said hesitantly, wincing slightly as he did so. The man sat to the right of Victor Wyatte, crime boss. He was his main man, his personal consultant. To Victor's left was his enforcer, the man that kept all of the employees in line. The other five men were the most vital parts of his organization, each serving their own purpose in separate vectors. Everyone in the room waited for his response, slightly scared as to what he was going to say.

"And how is that so?!" he barked at his employees. How was it that every single lab and distributor was un-operational at the moment? Things had been running so smoothly over the past couple of years, so what was with the major fuck up? Victor did not tolerate mistakes, and some people were about to answer for his financial losses.

The room around them was dimly lit and void of windows. Several lamps hung above the large table where the man sat, illuminating the room in a soft yellow light and casting shadows upon the men's faces. Somehow it made them look even more threatening. A large garage door, made for delivery trucks, stood at the left of the room. The only other door was a small door in the back of the factory, but it was padlocked. No one used that door, in fact, it was almost forgotten. There were several large vents along the upper walls of the room, though no air flowed through. The factory had long been closed and the heating and air was turned off. It was the perfect spot for criminal activities.

A man sitting a few seats down the row decided to answer, "Well, we don't know exactly what happened, but all of our men are either dead or missing. We went to check on our distribution centers when we weren't receiving any money for the product and found everyone dead."

"And the drugs? What happened to them?" Victor replied, extremely frustrated at the sudden loss of his years of hard work. It would take forever to build up a new drug empire. Not only would they need an entirely new set of cooks, which were extremely hard to come by, but they would also need to re-establish street connections with new dealers. This would take months, if not years to get back on track, and he was_ not_ happy.

"Gone," the man answered and upon seeing Victor's face decided to elaborate. "When we got there, it was all gone; it had been stolen… We don't know what happened to it…"

"So," Victor growled as he put his head in his hands, "All of my men are dead and my drugs are missing?! What the fuck happened?!" Several of the men cleared their throats as the man who had been talking looked down at his hands. "Well?!"

"As I said, most of the men were dead …. The majority of them had slit throats or bullets to the head. It was the same at all the different sites, same form of execution every time." The man looked back up at his boss with a somber expression, "I think that this is the work of a team, and a damn good one. The shots were precise and clean, each meant to kill instantly. I think they are trying to send a message… Or they could be trying to take over our territory by taking out the competition. I'm not quite sure, but whoever it is, they sure know what they are doing."

Victor considered the explanation for a few moments. What was this? Were they dealing with a competitor or a vigilante force? Was someone trying to get to him or were they just interested in stopping the flow of drugs? Either way, it was a legit threat to his livelihood.

"Considering that the drugs are missing, it is most likely that we are dealing with a competitor who wants to claim our territory for his own. They could be using that assassin to do the dirty work, what's her name? Yvette Bouyan? But this could also be completely unrelated to her. Either way, this son of a bitch has no idea who he is dealing with. I want you all to find out who is doing this and I want you to kill him, or her, I don't care, so long as they are dead. And kill anyone who stands in the way. In the meantime, I want you," he looked to the man he had been speaking to the entire time, "to go out and find some new cooks. I don't want our flow to completely stop, so I expect you to have product for me within a week or two. You can use temps if you have to; I am willing to lower my standard until we find a more permanent cook. And Paul," he looked over to a man sitting at the far end of the table, "I need you to find and kill that assassin that had taken out the rest of our party," he signaled towards the empty seats at the table. "I want her dead, now," he commanded.

"You think Yvette is doing this? I thought she was only sent to kill Tony and Allen. Why would she come back to take us on again? The dumbasses that hired her are dead, shot to death in their offices several weeks ago," the man to his left chimed in.

"I know that they are dead, but that does not make her any less of an enemy. Just because she isn't getting paid by Tollera anymore doesn't mean that someone else isn't paying her. Perhaps her new boss is the one that killed her brother and his boss in the first place. Maybe he wanted her as his employee and Jervaise stood in the way. Either way, I don't give a fuck. She killed two of my men and I want her dead, whether she is behind this or not." Victor was certain about his decision; he wanted her out of the picture. He didn't honestly believe she had come back to take his cartels out, he just wanted an excuse to off her.

The truth of the matter was that Yvette had nothing to do with the cartels. Her involvement with Victor was limited to the one hit placed on his two men. She wasn't even certain why her boss wanted them dead, especially since they worked for the most notorious crime boss in New York. Perhaps it was some rivalry thing… She honestly didn't care, so long as she got paid… But after Robin had killed her half-brother and his boss, she had begun to lie low, not particularly certain whether or not she was going to seek revenge. She was never close to her brother, yet he _had _gotten her the job in the first place.

There was only one problem with seeking revenge; it was Robin, the shadow assassin, or so they called him. Since no one was quite certain of who he was, he was called by that nickname. Though Yvette was pretty certain that it was Robin, boy wonder, working for Slade and she didn't feel like barking up that tree. Whoever messed with Slade didn't live to tell the tale and considering that no one had even seen Robin, he was a serious threat. So, here was poor Yvette, an assassin for hire, and one of the best in the world, with two different highly dangerous people wanting her dead.

"Am I clear? Take care of this mess or I will take care of all of you," Victor threatened. All of the men at the table nodded soberly, knowing his threats were not idle. He didn't become the boss of all organized crime in New York because he was nice. "Good, now if you will excuse me, I have to go to my daughter's recital. I expect reports from all of you and I expect them to be good," he said as he began to stand up. The sound of a chair screeching sounded throughout the room, causing everyone to cringe. "Joseph," he called to the man at his right, signaling for him to follow. His personal advisor stood up in response and followed him towards the door.

The remaining men sat in silence as the large loading door slid shut and echoed throughout the building. Only upon hearing two cars drive out of the lot did the men finally begin to speak. "So, how are we going to both find nine cooks and kill one of the most respected and notorious assassins in two only weeks?" one man asked. The feat was nearly impossible.

"Don't know, don't care, just get it done," the man sitting at the end of the table replied. As the enforcer, he had to make sure that things got done, or else it would be his ass on the line. All of the men looked at each other, each hoping that the other would come up with a solution. What the hell were they supposed to do about it?

"Should we hire an assassin to take her out? I don't see how we can kill her without outside help," one man asked. Hiring an assassin to take out another assassin was like playing chess, one wrong move and you lose. And there aren't many assassins out there that are willing to take on those in their own profession, not only is it difficult, but it is also considered taboo.

"Is there anyone out there that can even do it? She is the best of the best after all…." the first man replied. He was right, there was no one out there that had a shot at killing her, she truly was the best there was… well, almost the best…

"I can think of someone," a voice chimed in. It was very soft and echoed faintly throughout the room. Everyone looked at each other, searching for the source of the comment. Their eyes widened and their hands flew to their holsters when they realized that the voice was not from their party. All of a sudden, one of the men slumped as his face slammed down onto the table. Every single head turned abruptly to look at the man who was now sitting in a pool of blood. A single bullet was lodged into his skull, a perfect and clean shot. In an instant, every single person at the table stood up and pulled out a gun, all aiming in different directions.

The lights that hung above went out, shrouding the room in complete darkness, and a light clacking sound reverbed throughout the room. It sounded as if a very small person was running, but it came from above. Considering that there was no pathway above them, it sent chills down their spines. A large crash came from the right of the room as a vent fell to the floor and all of the men began shooting in that direction; except for the enforcer who was searching for the light switch guardedly.

The sound of bullets filled the room and shells flew everywhere, littering the floor and making it difficult to walk. One man lowered his gun and searched his pockets with shaky hands, desperate to find more bullets as he had run out. All that he could see were flashes of light from the firing guns, almost like strobe lights in a club. As he began to realize that he did not have spare bullets, the gunfire died down. The others had come to the conclusion that they were wasting their ammo on a non-existent target. Whoever had shot their comrade was not sitting in the corner near the vent. All of the men stood still, trying to adjust their vision to the darkness so that they could find their target.

The man with no ammo tightened his grip on his gun as he waited for someone to turn on the lights. He could hear a light thud behind him, so light that he wasn't even sure of what he heard. Just as he was about to turn around, he felt a thin wire wrap around his neck and a warm body press against his back.

"Umfh!" None of the others had heard the small grunt and stood there doing nothing while one of their comrades was suffocated. After a few moments, the lights turned back on and the men paled as they saw their co-worker lying dead on the floor with a thin, straight cut on his neck. A piece of wire lie on the floor next to him, stained with blood. Everyone began looking around, knowing that the attacker was still in the building.

"Show yourself! You fucking coward!" one man shouted defensively. A knife flew across the room, lodging straight into the man's neck and causing him to collapse onto the ground. It was true, shrouding in the shadows was cowardly.

"Ah, but you see, once you see me, I have to kill you," a deep voice grumbled as a figure walked out of the shadows. "But I was going to kill you anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter." Time seemed to stop as the men finally saw their attacker.

"Deathstroke…" one man whispered, stunned. In the shock of the discovery, all three men stalled, no one lifting their gun to attack. Within a moment, two more bullets flew through the air, each hitting its target. Slade stared down the one remaining man, sending fear deep into his bones as his friends and co-workers lay dead on the floor. He knew who Slade was; he was the most notoriously dangerous assassin for hire, and he was _expensive._ They would have considered hiring him to take out Yvette, but he hadn't taken a job for years. Everyone just assumed that he had retired.

The man, finally coming to his senses, lifted his gun and began to aim, knowing that he had no chance. A large boomerang shaped object knocked the gun out of his hands, leaving him defenseless. Not knowing that Slade had a partner, the man looked over to the corner, shocked at the discovery. A small, lean figure sat crouched in the corner, hiding in the shadows with a gun in his hand. Slade chuckled as he saw the look of confusion on his face.

"My apprentice," he explained. The man looked back at him, becoming paler at the thought of his impending doom. "I do not believe that you have had the pleasure of meeting him, you see, we have been quite discreet about our _partnership_." He emphasized the last word, more for Robin than for anyone else. Calling Robin a partner was a big step for Slade. He loved making Robin remember that he works for and _with_ him. It gave him a sense of power, owning Robin like that. "Robin, why don't you come on out and meet our _guest_, face to face."

Robin came out into the light, approaching Slade while looking at the man trembling before him. Immediately upon seeing his face, the man's eyes widened. "_Robin?!"_ he gasped, "_Batman's _Robin?!"

Slade growled in response, "No! Not Batman's Robin, _my _Robin! _My_ apprentice!" Something about Robin being called Batman's threw Slade into a possessive rage. Robin was no longer the goody two shoes brat that Batman had as a sidekick. He was a quick, precise killer. A master thief, a perfect criminal. He was Slade's now. He was no longer Richard Grayson or a Titan, but Slade's own partner. And he didn't like it when Robin was called by anything else. Slade calmed a little and began to speak, "He may have worked with that buffoon once, but not anymore."

Robin just stood there, no expression on his face at the mention of his former mentor. If the man hadn't been so terrified, he might have noticed how unusual Robin's behavior was and how stiffly he stood. "Why don't you show him what you can do?" Slade murmured in Robin's ear, loudly enough for the man to hear. The man began to back up in response, not wanting to know what Robin was going to do. "You see, I like to let him get creative with his kills, makes for a better message. And after all, that is what we are here for, to send a message," Slade explained. Robin continued to observe the man with boredom, and luckily for him, he was wearing his mask. Seeing what was behind it would have just scared the man further. As he took a step forward, the man began to run and Slade chuckled. He loved to watch Robin take out cowardly vermin; it was like a game to him. But to Robin, it was just another thing he did; he didn't really pay attention anymore.

Robin began to run after him, picking up a pipe that was lying on the floor along the way. The man could hear Robin gaining on him and he was running out of room to run. There was nowhere to go; the wall was a few feet away. He made a sharp turn to the left and ran for the large loading door. Upon reaching the door, he began to pound as hard as he could with his fists. The door was not budging; this was it, he was going to die.

He heard Robin stop behind him and felt a sudden pressure in his back. With a grunt, his hands flew to his abdomen. His stomach and legs began to become warm and wet. He looked down at his hands and gaped at the dark red blood dripping off of them. A shiny, metal bar was sticking out of his torso, completely drenched in blood. Was he really just impaled?! He fell to his knees and leaned on the door, trying to catch his breath. A cold hand gripped his shoulder and flipped him around with unusual strength, throwing him onto the floor in a sitting position.

"Ungh-" He could feel the bar slide forward as his back hit the wall. It made a sickening suctioning sound as it went further into him. Blood spurted out of his mouth and he began to choke on it, not liking the iron taste it had. Robin stood tall over him as he desperately tried to cling to life. He could see Robin's face looking down at him and wondered what had happened to him. What happened to turn him from Robin, boy wonder and hero, into _this_? He could see Robin for what he was, a _lunatic. _He could see the insanity behind the mask. No one could kill this easily; no one looked at people the way Robin was looking at him right now. It just wasn't normal, it just wasn't right.

Robin cocked his head to the side at the look of pure agony on the man's face. He often wondered what it was like in those last few moments before death. Was it a few moments of utter terror? Was there pain? Or was it a sudden acceptance of fate, completely numb and devoid of emotion? Did your life flash before your eyes? Was there a bright white light? Or did everything just go dark, like slipping into oblivion? The answer to that, Robin had no idea, nor did he plan to know in the near future.

Slade stood behind Robin, towering over him. "Do it Robin," he purred quietly. Robin pulled out a gun, the one that had been used to shoot all of the other men lying on the floor, and aimed it at the man's face. The man looked into his soon to be killer's face, knowing that it would be the last thing he saw. Robin stared back down at him, his face completely devoid of empathy, and without a moment's hesitation, pulled the trigger, shooting the man directly in between the eyes. He blinked as blood spattered on his face, not at all disturbed.

"Good boy," Slade cooed. Something about how Slade praised Robin was unnerving; it sounded odd, like it wasn't really praise. Robin just continued to look down at the dead man, not particularly feeling anything. He didn't care for Slade's praise, he didn't aim to please, he just did what he was told. "Now, let's get these bodies in-"

Suddenly, the door slid open and the dead man's body fell to the floor, splashing the pool of blood onto Robin's shoes. A man stood outside, a gun in hand, with a shocked expression on his face. He had not expected to see his boss dead on the floor when he had come to investigate the source of the noises. Robin lifted his gun, but he was too late. The man pulled the trigger and a bullet found its way to its target. The boy's eyes widened in shock and he stood for a few moments before collapsing to the floor. Had he really just been shot? How had he let his guard down? That had never happened before.

Upon seeing Slade, the man bolted. Had he realized that Robin wasn't the only one there, he would have run before shooting him. He wasn't stupid; he knew who Slade was and what he was capable of. Slade was still standing there, completely in shock at the sight before him. _Did that seriously just happen?! How?! Everything had been going so smoothly! _He watched as blood began to drip down Robin's sides and onto the floor. Looking up, he could see the figure running into the nearby forest and bolted after him.

Everything seemed to be in slow motion as he began pursuing the shooter. How could that have happened to Robin? His Robin? And on his watch too! He was so well trained, he was never meant to get shot, _ever_. And in all the time that they had been doing this, Robin had never made a mistake, so why now? Slade was now on the man's tail, gaining on him with every step.

The man knew that he had just made a fatal mistake, but it was just his instinct to shoot the person standing above his boss's dead body. After all, he was just a driver, taught to shoot any attacker. He didn't even want to be given a gun in the first place! He was just trying to save up enough money to go back to school; he never meant to hurt anyone!

The man was panting as trees passed him by in a blur. The cold night air stung his face as he ran and his lungs were on fire. His eyes were watering and he didn't know how much longer he could keep going. The man began to slow and Slade, finally being close enough to aim, pulled a knife out of his belt. He threw it at the man with precision, severing the artery behind his knee. The man flew forwards, landing with all of his weight on his hands and breaking one of his wrists. He howled in pain, not knowing whether to grab his broken hand or his bleeding leg.

Slade slowed to a walk and approached the man slowly, glaring at him with hatred in his eye. _What a pathetic human being_… The man could feel the soft, wet moss on his skin as he began clutching his knee desperately. A cold breeze flowed through the air, brushing lightly against his face and ruffling his hair. With a swift kick to the ribs, Slade flipped the man over onto his back. He cried out in agony and looked up at his attacker. The look in Slade's eye was terrifyingly dangerous. Trees stood tall above them as Slade walked over to the man's head, crouching down over him.

"Please!" he begged. The pain could not get any worse than it was, or so he thought. Slade looked down at his face and punched him, letting his anger spill out. Spitting out blood, the man looked back up at him, his eyes pleading for mercy. Why did he have to be working tonight?! Why did he have to get a job as a mobster's driver?! Slade punched him in the face again, this time with all of his might. He may have hit Robin quite a bit in his time, but never this hard. It felt… _good. _

He continued to punch the man repeatedly, completely losing all control of himself. He found himself unable to stop as he brutally pounded the man's face into the ground. Only upon feeling that the man was about to die did he finally stop. Panting, he looked down at the nearly unrecognizable face with disgust. The man was whimpering, now in too much pain to do much else. Slade pulled out a long, smooth knife and held it to the man's neck.

"PLEASE! DON'T!" he shouted in a garble. He didn't want to die, not here, not now. But even if Slade did show mercy and walk away, he would bleed to death on the forest floor… not that _he_ knew that. "I promise I won't say anything!" He meant it too, he wouldn't say anything out of fear that Slade would come back and kill him.

Before he could beg any further, Slade slid the knife deeply across the man's throat, sending him into a state of panic. His eyes widened and he began to choke on his own blood, making light gurgling sounds. He could feel the life slipping away from him and he closed his eyes tightly, trying to escape from the pain. Meanwhile, Slade just sat there on his heels and watched the life slowly leave the man's body. "_No one_ touches _my_ Robin," he growled.

Another breeze came and brushed by Slade as he sat there looking at the dead man. Quite abruptly, he leapt up and sprinted as fast as he could to the warehouse, almost having forgotten about the severely wounded Robin in his fit of rage. His breath became ragged as his feet pounded onto the soft forest floor and he could begin to see the outline of the building. _I'm coming Robin…._

Upon arriving at the door, Slade could see Robin lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He stepped over the body near the entrance and fell to his knees next to Robin's pale form. He was breathing shallowly and clutching at the wound in his chest.

"ROBIN!" Slade shouted harshly. Even only being half lucid, Robin could hear the genuine worry in his tone. He had never heard Slade like that, _ever. _He wasn't sure how he felt about it. Slade pulled Robin's hands off of his injury and pulled out a knife. He cut Robin's suit down to the abdomen, peeling the sticky, blood stained fabric off of the wound. It did not look good. The bullet was lodged deeply into Robin's chest and he had already lost a lot of blood. "Robin, talk to me!" he commanded, his face full of distress behind the mask. He knew that things were bad when Robin couldn't respond. Robin may hate him, but he was above ignoring him in a life threatening situation.

Robin could hear Slade talking, but he couldn't fully make out what he was saying. He felt like he was underwater, sinking further down into a dark abyss. The pain didn't bother him so much as he had become accustomed to it; it was as natural as sleeping and eating to him. In fact, he could barely feel it now. "ROBIN! ANSWER ME!" Slade yelled angrily. "Don't you _dare_ die on me!" He was pushing down on Robin's wound, trying to get the bleeding to stop. "ROBIN!"

Slade was in a panic, they were nowhere near their base or a hospital. Even if he was willing to risk getting caught by going to a hospital, Robin would be dead by the time they reached it. They were in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but forest and farmland around, that was why the mobsters met there. How did things go so wrong so quickly?! This was _supposed_ to be routine!

Robin's head was becoming light and pleasantly faint. His body was becoming warmer, like he was slipping into a hot bath. Little did he know that he felt like ice to Slade, whose frantic yelling was becoming fainter and fainter. White light was edging around his vision, blurring Slade's figure as he began to become dizzy.

Was this it? Was he going to die? Quite fitting considering that this was how most of his victims had died. He deserved it, especially after all of the people that he had hurt. He especially deserved it because he didn't even care about them. He had lost all sense of compassion a while ago and now, not even in the cold grip of death, did he feel remorse. So, there he was, dying in Slade's arms. He had never pictured his death being with Slade; he had never imagined that Slade would be the last thing that he saw. It was quite odd.

As his vision began to turn completely white, Robin accepted his fate. So this was death? Guess he finally got his answer. It wasn't so bad, kind of pleasant actually. He was almost happy that it was finally over, or at least he would have been if he could feel that emotion. The truth of the matter was that he was more relieved than anything. And so, in that moment, he readily accepted death. After a few minutes, his vision began to blacken and he slipped into the dark void of nothingness, seeing and hearing no more.

* * *

Nice ending huh? Don't worry, it isn't the story's ending! Well, anyways, please review! And don't feel obligated to say only wonderful things, please do critique (constructively)! I would like to improve my writing, so your feedback always helps! Thank you for reading, and once again, sorry for the delay!

**Character list: (**for those who are slightly confused by the mobster's discussion**)**

Victor Wyatte- the main crime boss

Joseph Nyenne- Victor's right hand man that left with him

Yvette Bouyan- the assassin that took out Slade and Robin's targets

Mark Tollera- the man that hired Yvette for the assassinations/ shot by Robin in Chapter One

Bryan Jervaise- Tollera's bodyguard and Yvette's half brother/ also shot by Robin in Chapter One


	12. Bullet Wounds

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Warning: This chapter has dark content

Please do not continue if you cannot handle some darker concepts and do not flame me afterwards if you do decide to read it... Remember, this is rated M.

Once again, sorry for the delay. I had to scrap and rewrite the entire chapter, so it took a little longer, but it was worth it! So enjoy another nice, long chapter!

* * *

-New York-

Slade pushed down onto Robin's wound, desperately trying to get the bleeding to stop. "ROBIN!" Blood was everywhere; this was the first time that Slade had ever been disturbed by the sight of it. He had beaten Robin bloody many times, but not to this point. Both his and Robin's uniforms were soaked and the orange insignia across Robin's body was no longer orange, but red. "Damn it Robin! Say something!"

Robin was no longer moving and his breathing was becoming faint and shallow. Slade ripped his mask off, hoping beyond all hope that those blue eyes were open behind it. Much to his relief, they were open, but quite glassy. It looked like Robin wasn't even there, like he had left his body. They were so blank, and that was saying something considering that Slade had become accustomed to Robin's blank stare. He was most likely blacking out and unable to see. "Damn it Robin! Don't you dare leave me!" His shouting had become hysterical. He had never sounded like this in his life… He had never been so panicked in his life…

He began ripping Robin's suit into strips of fabric before lifting his limp torso up into a sitting position. It almost looked as if he was hugging the dying boy, though anyone who knew him would know better. He began to tie the blood soaked strips of fabric tightly around Robin's chest, trying to compress the wound. How had things gone so wrong?! He was not prepared to lose Robin, not like this. He would never forgive himself; it was his own damn fault for not responding quickly enough! For letting him get shot!

Robin's breathing was becoming weaker by the minute and Slade could hear a rattling in his chest. That _cannot_ be good…. He laid Robin back down on the floor and began to slap him across the face. "Wake up!" he commanded in his most threatening voice, but Robin hadn't even heard him. He was beyond hearing now… His eyes began to droop and the color in them began to dim. "NO! Don't you dare close your eyes!" Somehow yelling at Robin made Slade feel better, like he would just obey. It had always worked before, so why not now?

Robin's head lulled to the side as his eyes closed fully. "Son of a BITCH!" he exclaimed as he swept Robin up into his arms. There had to be something nearby… Slade remembered passing a bit of farmland on the way there and decided that that was his best shot. He bolted down the street, holding Robin bridal style in his arms. They had parked the car a way down the road so as to not alert the mobsters to their presence. Slade was really regretting that now.

The sun was going down and the air was chilly, making for a beautiful evening. All around the road was clusters of trees followed by large lots of farmland. It would have made for a beautiful stroll, but of course, Slade was not out for a leisurely walk. He was full blown panicked, not even thinking as he ran. A short ways ahead, he could see the outline of his car. His heart skipped a beat and he began running faster, despite his cramping muscles.

Robin's head was swinging back and forth, completely limp, as Slade arrived at the car. He threw Robin in the back and proceeded to drive down the street, far beyond the speed limit. "Son of a bitch," he whispered, looking back and forth for any type of inhabited building. Why did they have to be stuck in the middle of nowhere?! Why couldn't he have gotten shot in the city?! He was going to make sure that anyone even associated with that driver would die a slow and painful death. If Robin didn't live through this, he would kill everyone in the damn city! If Robin didn't survive this, well, he didn't know what he would do. He had never thought about it before; it just never seemed a possibility. It was Robin after all…

He slammed on his breaks and Robin flew forward into the seats before slumping onto the floor. "Damn it," Slade growled as he jumped out of the car and opened the back door. He quickly pulled Robin out and threw him over his shoulder before running as fast as he could into a nearby field. Just on the horizon, a small cabin like house was lit up. Smoke billowed out of its chimney and Slade could smell the scent of burning wood mixed with iron, most likely from the blood.

The sun was just on the horizon and night was beginning to fall, casting shadows on everything in the field. A few scattered trees creaked in the wind as their branches swayed back and forth. A middle aged couple sat on their porch, looking out at the sunset and enjoying their quiet evening together.

"Looks like it's going to be a nice spring this year," a soft voice commented.

"Mmmm," the woman's husband replied.

"My petunias will bloom quite nicely," she murmured to herself. The two had just finished their dinner and considering that they had no television, the only thing left to do was sit outside until nightfall. Their nights often consisted of reading, knitting, cleaning, and other various uninteresting things. That was why it came as such a shock when a man could be seen running towards their house in the distance. "Hey! Allen, do you see that?"

"See what?" he asked agitatedly. He had his eyes closed and was trying to enjoy the quiet, not that he could with his wife anywhere near.

"That! I think someone is coming!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sure it's nothing…" he mumbled, on the verge of sleep. They hadn't had a visitor in months; it was highly unlikely someone was walking up their driveway. Not even so much as a car had passed in days….

"No, Allen, someone is coming! I can see him clearly now!" she was leaning forward in her chair, staring intently at the approaching figure. Her husband opened his eyes and peered out into the darkness skeptically. The outline of a man became clear and Allen stood up out of his chair.

"Lila, go inside," he commanded in a low voice.

"What?" she asked, standing up next to her now alert husband.

"Go inside, I'll handle this." He had become wary of unexpected company over the years and didn't want to risk his wife's life by letting her stand outside.

"What? Why?" This was by far the most interesting thing to happen to her in years and she wasn't about to miss it by sitting inside the damn house.

"Lila, just do what I say!" he shouted at her. She jumped back, shocked at his tone of voice, and turned to run inside. He could hear the door close behind her as he continued to watch the approaching figure. "What the?" he whispered to himself. He blinked a few times, trying to make sure he was seeing properly. The man was now a few yards away from the house, huffing and puffing from running so far.

He ran down to meet the approaching man, noticing that he was carrying a small limp figure. "Hey! Are you okay?" he asked. The man ran past him and Allen started to run after him at a slower pace. "Hey! What's going on?!" he yelled concernedly. The man ran up the porch stairs and slammed the door down, much to Allen's distaste. "Hey! You can't just break down my door!" he shouted as he followed the man into his own house.

"AHHHHHH!" Allen started to run faster upon hearing his wife scream and stopped dead in the middle of his living room.

"Oh… my… God…" he gasped. Lila was in the corner of the room, absolutely horrified, as a small figure lie on the coffee table, covered in blood. The man had disappeared, leaving the boy to bleed on the table. Allen didn't know what to say, what the hell had happened to this poor kid?! He ran over and dropped to the floor next to the boy, trying to see if he was still breathing. "Lila! Go and get some towels!" he shouted. His wife hesitated, too sickened to think, before running off into the hallway.

Allen pressed his hand to the boy's neck, trying to find a pulse, when he was shoved out of the way by a large man. "Robin!" The boy remained unresponsive as he began to rip the strips of cloth off of him. Allen sat on the floor where he had been knocked down, staring at the scene before him. "ROBIN!" the voice yelled as Lila entered the room, yelping slightly at the sight. She had two wet towels and one dry towel in her shaking hands.

The man didn't even look up at her as she handed him the towels, in fact, he hadn't even noticed her. He wasn't really able to concentrate at the moment. All he could think about was saving Robin. Blood was dripping off of the table and onto the carpet, not that anyone really cared about the soiled rug.

"L-Lila, go and call the police!" Allen shouted. Lila had begun to run towards the kitchen as a hand had grabbed her wrist in a firm grip, stopping her from leaving the room.

"No, don't call the police," Slade grunted, not looking up at the woman he was holding in place.

"B-but… but he n-needs h-help," she stuttered, yelping slightly from the pain in her wrist as she tried to wriggle free.

"I'm helping him," Slade stated, letting go of her wrist to continue working on Robin. She looked down at her hand, which was now covered in blood. _The boy's blood… _

"H-he needs prof-fessional help…" she reasoned, continuing to gaze at her hand. It didn't even look like a team of doctors could save him now.

Slade looked up at her for a brief moment, catching her gaze. "Don't call the police," he growled threateningly before looking back down at the dying boy.

Lila ran over to Allen and crawled next to him out of fear. Both just sat on the floor, watching the scene with wide eyes. They had never seen anything like it; a large man frantically tending to a heavily bloodied boy. Neither had really noticed that it was slightly odd that he was wearing a mask; they were too shocked to think things through. Lila's mind was reeling, going one hundred miles an hour. What had happened to this boy? Had the man done this? But then why would he be trying to save him? He seemed to be genuinely concerned and worried about the boy… So, what could have possibly happened?

"Robin! Don't die! Don't you dare die, damn it!" Slade cursed. He was wiping the blood off of Robin's chest, trying to get a good look at the gunshot wound, but it just kept bleeding. Whenever it would get clean enough to view, more blood would spurt out. As he worked on Robin's chest, he noticed something. It had stopped moving… Robin had stopped breathing…. "NO!" He placed his head down to Robin's chest, trying to see if he could hear a heartbeat, but his mask blocked him.

With a click, he pulled the mask off and threw it back behind him, not particularly caring where it went. He immediately placed his ear back to Robin's chest and listened for a heartbeat. _Nothing… "NO! DAMMIT!" _He didn't know what else to say; for once in his life, he was beyond words. He lifted his head back up and looked at the boy's face. There were red streak marks from the blood, but otherwise, he was ghostly pale.

Slade began pumping Robin's chest, not particularly caring at the moment that he was forcing more blood out. _One… Two… Three… One… Two… Three… _He placed his ear back down, _nothing… _"Come… On…." he grunted as he continued pumping.

After about a minute of unsuccessful pumping, Slade pinched Robin's nose and began to breathe air into his mouth. Robin's chest rose from the forced intake of air and Slade returned to pumping. "Breathe, damn it!" He heard a large crack and he knew that he just broken a rib. What was with him and breaking ribs?! He leaned back down and breathed more air into Robin's mouth, persistent in his attempts to revive the boy. Robin's eyes, however, remained dead and empty as Slade incessantly pumped.

_Even inside the dark void of nothingness, Robin could not find peace as one memory replayed in his mind… _

-Berlin: A little over a year ago-

Robin was sitting in his room, staring at the ceiling with a book in his lap. He had been reading a German language textbook, as they were in Berlin and Slade wanted Robin to learn the language. He had become pretty proficient since he had plenty of time to devote to studying. Whenever he wasn't training, he was memorizing and learning. He even took tests, which ended badly if he failed. So, if he valued his bones remaining unbroken at all, he had to study.

He had been in Slade's custody for a little over five months now and he was becoming used to his new life, much to his dismay. He had gone on a few missions since the drug raid disaster, although they were all purely theft. Slade didn't seem to want him to go on any mission that involved people, or killing, after what had happened with his nearly dying and all. Robin still couldn't believe that he had so readily accepted death then. He often spent entire nights awake just thinking about it.

He had almost fully healed from Slade's not so little torture session and barely felt any pain at all when he worked out now. Slade had also refrained from any more beatings since then, not wanting Robin to go backwards in progress. He had been bed ridden for two weeks and Slade did not want to put him right back in a hospital right after he had recovered. He needed Robin over the next few weeks, and he would be of no use injured. That of course didn't stop him from threatening Robin when he didn't work to his full potential during recovery. Just because he couldn't torture Robin, didn't mean he couldn't slap him silly.

He didn't really need to punish Robin all that much though, especially considering that he had pretty much stopped talking back. Robin didn't quite know why, but he had lost the fire in his heart. He no longer felt the urge to spew insults or refuse commands anymore. He wasn't broken or dead inside and still very much did not want to be Slade's apprentice, but he just didn't feel like fighting anymore. He was becoming tired, much to Slade's satisfaction. He was finally starting to wear Robin down, which meant it was time for the next phase of his transformation. Soon enough, Richard would be dead and Robin would emerge from the ashes. Soon enough, the shadow assassin would be born…

Robin sighed and sat up in his bed, causing the book to fall off of his lap and onto the floor. He had been sitting in this room for over a day now, with no way out. Slade had said that he had some important business to attend to before locking Robin in his room and disappearing. Robin felt that it was unfair to be locked in a single room for days, but Slade didn't trust him enough to be alone in the base. At least Robin had an adjoining bathroom, not that it was much of a change of scenery. He hated being stuck in plain white rooms, they reminded him too much of the time he had spent in 'solitary confinement' a few months ago.

He pushed his fingers through his hair agitatedly, wondering how much longer he would be stuck in his room before Slade returned. _Must be off killing people somewhere…. _He had never wanted to see Slade so much in his life and it rather bothered him. The book lay face down on the floor as Robin stood up to start pacing. What else was he supposed to do? He had read the damn book twice now and he was becoming bored of the 'learning' activities in it. Every single other book on his bookshelf had been read at least three times now, but he still stopped to see if there was anything he could read again.

_Advanced Applied Physics… The art of Manipulation… Advanced Neuropsychology… Calculus… _"Ha, right!" he snorted. He hadn't understood that the first two times he read it and he certainly wouldn't the third time. His finger traced the spines of the books as he read them. _Advanced Human Anatomy and Physiology… Forensics and Detective Work… Advanced Thievery… _Where the hell did Slade even get that? Who even wrote books on how to steal? His hand stopped on the spine of a thin book that he distinctly remembered requesting. _The History and Making of Modern Martial Arts… _

Robin pulled the book out and opened it to the first page. How many times had he read this? Ten? Fifteen? He honestly didn't care, it was the only interesting one to him, even though he practically knew it by heart now… He plopped back onto the bed and stretched his legs out before beginning to read. "Chapter One, Martial Arts in Ancient China…" he mumbled to himself. _Wonder if I do have this memorized… _

A soft click sounded through the door and it swung open. Robin jumped up, thrilled to be let out of the room. His favorite book fell onto the bed as he ran to the door. Slade was standing in the doorway, stopping Robin from exiting. "Let me out, I need to walk," Robin grunted. Slade continued looking down at him, not moving an inch. Robin sighed and tried to inch his way around the man. "I really need to walk around. I've been stuck in this room for over a day now! Come on!" he exclaimed, frustrated that the bastard wasn't letting him out.

Slade stepped out of the way and Robin walked quickly down the hallway. "I'm starving," he shouted back as he walked. "Should have left me some _food _before you left," he complained. Slade wouldn't normally put up with such an attitude, but he was just shocked that Robin was talking to him at all. Robin only spoke to Slade if necessary and his snarky comments have gone down to a record low. So, it came as a surprise that he was being so cheeky.

Robin was practically jogging towards the kitchen when a hand grabbed his shoulder and threw him up against the wall. "Hey! What're you-"

"You aren't going to the kitchen, we have training to do," Slade said as he pinned a disbelieving Robin to the wall, holding both of his hands above his head.

"Are you serious?! I haven't eaten in a day and you want me to work out?!" Robin could not believe this, could this man be any more of an asshole?

"I promise you that once you are done with your training, you may eat," Slade replied.

Robin glared at the two toned mask for a moment. "Ughhh, whatever, let's just get this over with so that I can eat." He began to pull out of Slade's grip and Slade loosened to let him go. He started walking towards the gym, Slade trailing behind him the whole time. It was only when they walked next to each other that their extreme height difference became apparent. It looked rather odd, Robin being so short in comparison.

Just as Robin was about to enter the gym, a hand pulled him back. "Uh, uh, uh… That is not where we will be training today," Slade said. Robin turned around and looked at him oddly. Where else were they going to train? There was only one gym… Maybe he would get to train outside today! He hadn't been outside in over a month now, except on missions, which hardly counted… "Follow me," he commanded as he continued down the hall.

Robin had never been this far into their base, he was always supervised when walking around and had never been allowed to explore. He followed Slade into the unfamiliar territory, becoming uneasy when he realized that he would not be able to find his way back if necessary. He was beyond lost.

"In here," Slade said as he held a door open for Robin. _Another room?_ Why would there be another gym? Perhaps it was for special equipment…. Robin entered the room and looked around as Slade closed and locked the door behind them. The walls were a pale gray and the floor was a light brown laminate. The room was very small and completely void of furniture. The only thing that stood out was the large frame on the wall across from him. It seemed to frame some sort of glass or something, though it wasn't see through. To the left of the seemingly useless frame was a large metal door with a small window in it. The window was covered with blinds from both sides, so Robin couldn't see what was in the adjacent room.

"Welcome Robin, to the next phase of your training," Slade said. Something about this was extremely unnerving. What the hell did that mean? And how are they going to train in here? Robin gaped at the man standing across from him in annoyance, clearly not understanding what was going on. "You must be wondering why I have brought you to this_ particular_ room." Robin did not reply, but merely stayed silent, all the while maintaining eye contact with Slade through his mask.

"You see, this is my interrogation room…" _Interrogation room?_ What? Was he about to be interrogated? Perhaps it was training on how to resist spilling information if captured? Robin didn't really feel that that was necessary considering that he would never get caught, and even if he did, he would run into the protection of his captor's arms. "You see, Robin. As my apprentice, you must undergo many different types of training. And this exercise is perhaps one of the most vital that you will perform."

Slade walked over to the edge of the frame and looked at the wall thoughtfully. "Look, Slade, I already know how to resist interrogation…. I learned that years ago…" _Can I go now? I'm starving! _Robin's stomach began to growl and he was feeling slightly angry that he had been dragged here for this.

"Oh no, Robin. You are not going to be learning how to resist interrogation…" Robin's eyebrows lifted in curiosity. So, what then? Was he supposed to learn how to interrogate, because he had already learned that too. Being a hero meant interrogating villains… Slade should know that already.

Slade turned to the wall and reached for the top of the frame. "Inside this room," he said as he flipped a switch, "sits two people." Robin stood in front of the frame, now realizing what it really was. The space in between it flickered a few times before becoming clear and allowing Robin to see into the next room. Just as Slade had said, two people sat in the room, both chained to the wall in sitting positions.

The room had that same asylum feel to it that most of the other rooms in the base did. It was rectangular and very wide. The walls and tile floors were both white and there were several drains in the ground. Drains? What were the drains for? Robin paled as he realized… _blood… _

"You see, after last month's fiasco, I had to think carefully on how I was going to make you see things my way." Robin swallowed, not liking where this was going. Slade smirked behind his mask and continued, "I just naturally assumed that, being placed in a life threatening situation, you would have acted in defense…. I guess I was mistaken," he confessed darkly, his voice unsettling.

Robin stood still, his heart beating rapidly, and waited for Slade to continue. "So, I have devised a way to force you to comply. I now know that putting your own life on the line will not bend your will, but perhaps when it is the life of another at risk, you will see things differently. There will be no worming your way out of it this time Robin." Robin gulped and Slade could see the color leave his face.

"I am _not_ going to kill anyone!" Robin declared, anger filling his voice.

"Ah, but you will, whether you want to or not," he explained, much to Robin's disbelief. This man just _didn't _get it! What was his fucking problem?!

"You can't force me to kill! You may be able to yell at me, beat me, even _kill _me, but you cannot make me take a life!" Robin was adamant; nothing Slade could do would make Robin commit murder!

"You see, that is where you are wrong Robin. I can and I _will…_" Slade's eye glinted as something flashed across it. _Was he getting enjoyment from this?! _

"What? Are you going to kill another child?!" Robin mocked. This had struck Slade the wrong way and he made a move towards Robin. Not knowing what to do, Robin began to back up into the wall behind him, not at all wanting to be stuck in a small room with the man. "I locked the door Robin, there will be no escaping. Now, stop acting like a child and get over here so that we may begin." Robin, after turning the handle behind his back a few times, walked back towards Slade. "Good, now-"

"Ahhh!" Robin pounced towards the man, attempting to kick him with all that he had.

"Tsk tsk, Robin. I thought you would have learned your lesson by now," he purred as he blocked Robin's foot. Immediately thereafter, he threw Robin to the ground and pressed his boot into his newly healed ribs. "Now, unless you want me to re-break your ribs, you will get up and behave like an adult!" Robin huffed in response and Slade pushed his boot further into Robin's ribcage, causing him to gasp in pain. He could feel that his rib was about to break, _again_.

"Ugh! Get _off _me!" he grunted. Slade lessened the pressure and grabbed Robin's arm, pulling him up to stand.

"Try anything else and you will regret it." Robin recognized that phrase… _All of your complaining is just harming you, so I would suggest shutting your mouth before you regret it._ Slade had said that before he killed Timothy, and that was just for refusing to work out… He did not feel like having another child's death on his hands, so he decided to just listen to what Slade had to say. "Good boy, now as I was saying, this is going to prepare you for future missions. I will not tolerate any more attempted suicides or disobedience. When I tell you to kill someone, you _will _do it. Got it?" When Robin did not respond, Slade turned towards the wall.

"Let me start out by giving you a backstory of the two, so that you may make an informed decision on who deserves to die…" Robin gave Slade a look of disbelief before turning back to look at the two captives.

They were both sitting, arms held above their heads with their elbows bent. Their feet were shackled to the ground and they were both gagged and blindfolded. Must have been what Slade was doing all day yesterday…_hunting… _The one on the right was a very tall and built man. He had tan skin and a shaven head, as well as several tattoos around his neck and arms. His face did not look kind at all. In fact, he looked as if he was about to murder anything that came near him.

The one on the left, on the other hand, was a very soft faced woman. She was very petite, most likely only five feet tall. She looked to be about in her early thirties and had thin, blonde, shoulder length curls. Her skin was very pale and her makeup was streaked down her face, most likely from crying. Robin felt for her, he really did.

"The woman that you are gazing at so intently is Francine Byrd: a single mother of two and an accountant at a local bank. She is thirty two and lives in a small apartment outside of Berlin. She commutes to work every day while her kids stay in day care, because she cannot afford to move closer to the city." Slade watched Robin as he studied the woman. "Just a year ago, she was raped, but the authorities never found the culprit, so she was left to live in fear of his return." Robin's eyes turned soft as he gazed at the woman with pity. All that she went through and now she had to go through _this_?! Slade never ceased to amaze Robin with his level of evil.

"As for the one on the right, his name is George Buort. He is thirty seven years old and is an in and out convict. He is a part of a gang in the inner city and has killed several people…" _No worse than you_, Robin thought. Slade was a murderer too after all, having just killed a child just a few months ago. "And on top of that, he is a rapist," Slade finished and Robin looked up at him. "Yes, you've guessed correctly, he was the one to rape her." Robin looked back into the room, this time with a whole new perspective.

That must have been why she was sitting so oddly angled, she was trying to avoid being near him. The tears in her eyes and terror on her face weren't from Slade; they were from the man sitting next to her… It was like seeing the situation in a whole new light. Now it wasn't _two_ innocent people kidnapped and held against their will… It was an innocent woman and a rapist being put on trial.

"One of these lucky two is going to be your first kill, whether you like it or not," Slade declared, looking through the glass at the two unfortunate souls inside the room. Robin felt his throat swell up in both anger and sadness. There was no way he was going to kill either of them, no matter what Slade said.

"Where are her children?" Robin asked.

"They will be released when the exercise is over, either with their mother or as orphans." How Robin hated this man… Robin was an orphan after all, and he knew how it felt to lose the people you count on. These children already most likely lost their father, so this woman was all they had left. He would not let these kids go through what he did…

"So let me guess, you want me to kill one of them? And you chose someone that I would normally arrest and someone I would normally save to make the decision easier for me?" Robin asked mockingly.

"Oh no, it is not that simple," Slade purred. Robin looked back at him, what the hell was he supposed to do then?! "You are going to go in there and kill George, or else I will release him. You see, she was the one that got away, the one that he failed to kill… He has been searching for her for a while now, knowing that she could be his downfall." Robin listened intently, his mind searching for a way out of this. "So, if you fail to kill George, then I will untie him and he will be free to kill her in this room." Robin's mouth dropped, he had not been expecting that.

"So, by saving a criminal, you will be _killing_ an innocent woman, but by killing a criminal, you will be _saving_ an innocent woman. It is your decision…" Slade watched as Robin stood there, frantically trying to find a way out. He had thought this through thoroughly, and there was no way out. If he refused to kill George, then Francine would certainly die and Robin would be creating two orphans. He couldn't handle having more innocent blood on his hands, and if she died, it would be directly his fault this time, unlike with Timothy. Then, he had no way to save the boy, but now, he had a way to save the woman… making him her cause of death should he fail. _There was no way out… _

"I won't do it!" Robin stated. Hopefully Slade was just full of it… But Robin knew better.

Slade smiled deviously, "No, Robin, you will do this. I can't have an assassin that will not kill, that would not be a very good investment on my end." Was that all that Slade cared about? His investment?! _He really is one inhuman bastard!_

"Fuck you!"

"Do you want her blood on your hands?" Slade asked innocently, ignoring the comment. "Because I can release him if that is your decision."

"…Slade…." Robin moaned childishly. What was he supposed to say? _Please don't make me kill that criminal_… Like that would work… He might as well ask Slade to let him go, for all the good it would do.

"Yes?" he asked teasingly.

"Please," Robin begged. He seemed to be doing that quite a bit lately…. He had never imagined that he would grovel so much to his worst enemy. Of course, he had never imagined this type of situation arising either.

"No, Robin, you must make a choice. Who will it be? The rapist or the victim?" Slade held his hand out, advertising the choices as if they were prizes. Robin looked at the two, becoming less and less sure of himself. Here it was again, the question of whether or not it is okay to kill under certain circumstances. He had been raised to believe it was so black and white, but it wasn't, and he was just learning that. Why had Bruce never covered the gray area? How was Robin supposed to know what to do? Either way, someone dies, and either way, it's his fault. So, should he be the one to hold the gun? Or just the spectator, watching the situation unfold?

"I'm waiting Robin," Slade drawled. Robin had now begun bouncing back and forth, shifting his weight from his left to his right as he pondered. This was a serious questioning of his morals and he was having a mental crisis at the moment, not that Slade cared. In fact, Slade was counting on it. He was very much enjoying watching the boy squirm. He just hoped that Robin's outstanding hero complex would lead him to save the woman; otherwise, he would have no way of making Robin actually kill someone. He had run out of ideas beyond this. Perhaps if Robin failed, Slade would make it a child's life on the line next time…. He had reacted so drastically towards Timothy. He must have a soft spot for children…

As Slade stood there thinking of his backup plan, Robin was having a full blown panic attack. He had been pushing this to the back of his mind, trying to avoid confronting it for the past few months, and now it was all coming crashing down.

"Robin," Slade said impatiently as he returned from his momentary distraction, "If you do not choose now, I will assume that you have elected to allow George free."

"Go fuck yourself!" Robin really had been developing a sailor's mouth over the past few months…

"You will decide, _now_… Which of these two are you going to save?" Slade was making it painfully easy now. Using the word 'save' was allowing Robin to justify his actions, what the hell else did he need to take action?! Damn his upstanding disposition. "Who Robin?" he shouted.

"No! I won't do it! I won't choose!" Who was Robin to decide who should live and who should die?

"Ah, I see," Slade said softly. Robin stared daggers at him, wishing beyond all hope that he would just fall over and die right there. Now, Slade was one person he could kill… If only he had been given the option. That would be an easy decision!

Slade reached for the top of the frame again and pressed a button. Inside the room, several large _clinks_ sounded as both pairs of shackles fell off of the two captives. Immediately, both of the prisoner's hands flew to their faces, pulling the blindfolds off so that they could finally see. Francine pulled the cloth out of her mouth as George got his blindfold off. She looked over and her eyes widened with panic upon seeing George untied.

"AHHH! Someone, Please! Help me!" She stood up and ran to the door, desperately pounding on it as George stood up and looked around. "Please!" she screamed, begging for someone to let her out.

"I don't know who you are, but thank you," George growled, smiling at the fearful woman banging on the door.

Outside the room, Robin was shouting at Slade. "How could you, you sick son of a bitch!" He ran to the door, trying to open it to let the woman out without success. He turned on Slade, "Let her OUT!" he commanded. Slade merely smiled behind his mask.

"This was your decision Robin, you _chose_ to let her die," he drawled, clearly enjoying himself as he watched Robin panic.

"NO! I _chose_ not to kill anyone! Now let her GO!" he shouted, his voice breaking towards the end. _Damn it!_ _Why can't I just sound powerful for once?!_ Slade chuckled darkly and Robin continued to pound on the door before starting to kick it.

"That is solid steel, Robin. The only thing that you are going to break is your foot," Slade stated condescendingly. Robin stopped kicking and ran at him, trying to hit him in the face, but Slade simply stepped out of the way. He then tried to side sweep his feet, but was off balance from missing the punch. Slade kicked Robin in the back of the knee, forcing him to the ground and stepped behind him, grabbing a fist full of his hair. He pulled Robin's head back, causing him to grunt and gasp for air. "Listen to that," he purred softly in his ear, "That is because of you."

Screams resounded through the room and Robin began squirming, trying to get out of Slade's grip. He was unsuccessful as Slade just pulled tighter and forced him to listen. "NO! PLEASE! Please don't!" the woman begged, obviously being attacked by the man.

"She is going to die because of _you,_" he whispered, throwing Robin forward onto the floor. Robin jumped back up and sprinted towards Slade, flipping into the air and trying to kick him in the side of the neck. He barely grazed Slade's uniform and Slade ran towards him, fury in his eye. "What did I say about disobedience?! It _will not_ be tolerated! Do I need to teach you another lesson?" That was enough to distract Robin momentarily and Slade pulled his arms behind his back, throwing him up against the window.

"Who will it be this time? You seem to like pretty, young girls, how about I kill a nice high school girl? Huh?" he growled into Robin's ear, twisting his arm and forcing his face against the glass. The threat was enough to make Robin stop fighting.

"No, please. Just don't kill anyone else," he moaned in defeat. Slade gripped his hair again and pulled his head back, forcing him to look into the room. "Open your eyes Robin, look at what you have done." Robin shook his head slightly and Slade whispered in his most dangerous, threatening voice, "Look into the room Robin."

Robin opened his eyes and looked through the glass. Inside the room, the woman was standing in a corner, begging for her life to the man hovering over her. Her face was already slightly swollen and there were several cuts and scratches along her arms. "You think you can just grovel to me? Stupid bitch! _No one_ gets away from me!" the man growled.

"Please, please, I have children! Please don't! I promise I won't tell anyone!" she pleaded.

"Just like you didn't tell anyone last time? I don't think so," he grunted and punched her in the face, sending her flying to the floor. He leaned down and grabbed her feet, "I don't know who brought us together, but I sure owe him a big thank you!" Her nails scratched against the floor as he dragged her into the middle of the room. She started to kick and flail, but he was too strong for her weak frame.

"NOOOO! Please! Someone!" He pulled the shackles that were lying on the floor over and locked them on her feet. Robin started to struggle harder against Slade's grip as she was flipped over, but Slade just pulled his hair harder. George sat down on her waist and she began to throw punches at him, her eyes full of absolute terror at the all too familiar situation. He grabbed her hands and bent down over her face.

"You are going to die tonight," he said with a smile on his face. She began crying harder and he punched her in the face again, this time creating a black eye. He flipped her over, pinning her to the ground, and began to pull her pants down.

"NO! Stop!" Her screams were sending chills down Robin's spine as he was forced to watch.

"Ah, why would I? I have been given a second chance! You will wish that I had killed you the first time after I'm done with you tonight." She continued to wriggle and scream as he continued pulling down her pants. Robin could not believe what he was seeing! He started to flail madly, forcing Slade to let go of his head. Seeing the opportunity, he leaned his head forward and threw it back as hard as he could into Slade's.

Slade let go and took a step back as Robin's head began to throb. He turned around dizzily and kicked Slade in the stomach as hard as he could, this time hitting the mark. Slade tumbled back into the wall and Robin ran forward, preparing for another attack. His punch was blocked, but he had managed to pull the nearest weapon out of Slade's belt.

Slade chuckled as Robin looked down at the shiny gun, the one that he had taken on a mission before, the one that had almost killed him. "So, are you going to shoot me?" Slade teased as Robin gripped the gun tighter.

"What's stopping me?" Robin retorted and Slade chuckled darkly.

"So now you find it acceptable to kill? How, _convenient…" _Robin looked at his face intently. _Now is your chance! Do it! Shoot him! _He knew that he would never have an opportunity like this again, it was now or never. "Do you want to know what is stopping you?" Slade asked. Robin cocked his head, anger on his face.

"Oh, please, do tell," Robin said sarcastically as he lifted the gun and aimed it at Slade's neck. He didn't know if that mask was bulletproof or not.

"Her," he stated and Robin started to listen to the screaming woman. "If you kill me, then you will never be able to open the door and she will surely die a painful death…"

"I can figure out how to open the door without you!" Robin said hesitantly. Slade heard it in his voice and smiled.

"Can you?" Robin squinted his eyes, debating his options. Was he about to kill three people in one night? Because if he killed Slade and couldn't open that door, the woman would get murdered and the man would die of thirst inside the room. So, was he about to let Slade live to save another life? Was she worth sacrificing for the greater good?

With a grunt, Robin lowered the gun and ran towards the door. "Open it! Now!" he shouted back to Slade. Slade smirked as he walked to the frame and pressed another button, unlocking the door. Robin stood in the doorway, knowing that once he entered that room, he would come out a different person. Opening that door was one of the hardest things he had to do in his life, but he did it upon hearing the woman's continued cries for help.

The moment that he had stepped into the room, the door closed and locked behind him. _Shit! _He had planned to go in and brandish the gun around, avoiding actually using it, and pull the woman out. Something deep inside of him knew it would come down to this though, he knew that he would leave the room a killer. He looked over to the horrific scene across the room and lifted his gun.

"Get OFF of her!" he shouted, holding the gun with two shaky arms. The man looked up and stopped what he was doing, laughing at the sight.

"Please, HELP ME!" the woman shouted upon hearing Robin's voice. He avoided looking at her face, not wanting to see the pain in it.

"Or what? You going to shoot me?!" the man chuckled. The woman whimpered as he thrusted forward, eyeing Robin while he did so. This really pissed Robin off, not to mention made him want to barf.

"PLEASE!" the woman began as George continued on, making Robin cock the gun. The man, upon hearing that, stopped what he was doing and pulled the woman's neck back.

"I will fucking break her neck right now," he threatened. "If you know what is good for you, you will get the fuck out of here right now." There was no way this stupid kid was going to shoot him, or he would have done it a long time ago, so George did not feel very worried at all.

Robin looked into the whimpering woman's eyes as she gasped for air. That was it, that did it for him. He looked back up and placed his finger on the trigger, closing his eyes the moment he pulled it. The bullet flew through the air and George's eyes widened slightly before it found its target. He slumped down on top of her and she started crying uncontrollably as she scrambled to get out from under the man. Robin ran forward and pulled him off of her with disgust, his eyes hazing over from shock. _What had just happened? _

Slade had done it, he had gotten Robin to kill, and though he was not an advocator of rape, it had gotten the job done, as unhappy as it made him… He may be many things, including a murderer, but he really hated rape. That was actually why he had chosen George; he figured that he could clean up the streets a bit while training Robin… Two birds, one stone… Though he hadn't expected Robin to wait until it actually happened to take action…

Inside the room, Robin was helping the woman pull her clothes back on. She tried hugging him, but he refused to let her. Something about it made him extremely uncomfortable… After she had her pants back on, she looked over to the dead body on the floor. Hot anger began to burn inside of her upon seeing his body, but it soon turned into joy and she started laughing hysterically.

Robin, who was still leaning over her, stood up and backed into the wall, very perturbed by her sudden amusement. She fell to the floor, unable to control herself as the door opened. _What was wrong with this woman?_ Sure, the man may have raped her, _twice, _but laughing seemed a little drastic. Especially since she could see the carnage in person! But there she was, laughing wildly as she clutched herself on the floor.

Her laughter was soon joined by tears and Robin couldn't tell if they were from sadness or joy. He began to edge along the wall, heading towards the door uneasily, when he was pulled into the other room. Slade walked him to the window and plopped him down before going and shutting the door. The woman sat up and looked at the ceiling, "Thank you! Whoever you are! Thank you!" she shouted before falling back into a fit of giggles.

"See Robin…" Slade purred, "Murder can be justified… You did nothing wrong, she is thanking you. You _saved _her," he reasoned manipulatively. Robin didn't know what to think now… _Had that been right? Or was this woman just crazy? _His whole world was turned around as he found himself starting to believe that it may have been justified. _He was a rapist, after all… _

…

Robin's hunger seemed to disappear and returned to his room to ponder what had just happened, completely forgetting to make sure that Slade had let the woman go.

Fortunately enough for Francine, Slade was a man of his word, and had released her on the outskirts of the city. He had never actually taken her children… And considering that she had only seen him with his mask on, he thought that it was pretty safe to let her go. She wouldn't report anything to the police, not after what she believed he had just done for her. And so, the woman continued on, believing that she owed a debt to Robin, her _savior_…

* * *

Yes, I do realize that her response at the end was not normal, and that was why I pointed out how odd it was...

On another note, thank you for all of the reviews on the last chapter! I was amazed at how many I got! So please, keep it up!


	13. Bandages

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Man, these delays! I am so sorry, but I am once again on vacation and have had practically no time to write _at all. _The last chapter wasn't exactly the best thing to leave you guys hanging on either, sorry!

Thank you for all of the support and reviews! I love getting those email notifications! As always, enjoy!

* * *

-New York-

Inside a small cabin, surrounded by farmland, sat a man. His eyes drooped from fatigue and he was covered in blood, having refused the shower offered to him. The sun had just come up, but he had not slept at all the night before, his thoughts keeping him from rest. The middle aged couple to whom the house belonged to was sleeping in their bedroom, or at least attempting to, considering what had happened the night before.

The man was in their only other bedroom, although it housed no bed. Since they never had guests, they decided to turn it into a study. Of course they had a blow up mattress, which was sitting in the corner of the room, for the rare occasions when they did have company. Slade sat in a large, cushioned reading chair across the room, looking out the window at the vast field outside. His uniform was chipping small flakes of dry blood, but he wasn't even close to caring at the moment. If one were to guess, they would believe that he was in shock, though of course he would deny it. His eye was however oddly blank as he stared off into space.

The house was actually quite peaceful, the only sounds being that of chirping birds in the trees outside. How it _bothered _him! He wished that there were some noise or movement to distract him, but unfortunately he was stuck there with nothing but his thoughts.

He had thought about what had happened all of last night, his stomach in a knot. He had never experienced that before…. Upon thinking back, he realized that there was a quicker way to the cabin, but he was just too panicked to think about it. The young driver that he had killed would have certainly had the keys to one of the cars in front of the factory. Not to mention all of the other dead mobsters that had cars… As he thought about that he couldn't help but become angrier with himself. It would have saved a ton of time had he driven from the start, but _no, _he had to run all the way down the damn street to get his own car! _Dumbass… _

Another thing that he couldn't help but be pissed off about was the fact that he had not noticed the driver in the first place! He had been there the entire time, sitting inside one of the parked cars, and Slade hadn't noticed him. How could he possibly have made such a stupid mistake?! It really boggled his mind thinking about it. He was a trained assassin! It was his job to notice people! How? Just how?! If he had just made a more careful final sweep of the lot before attacking, Robin wouldn't have been shot.

As he sat there thinking about all the mistakes he made, another thought entered his mind. Why had he reacted the way he had? He had never been so panicked and careless in his life, so why now? His first assumption was that it was just the surprise of it all, but he had had missions go wrong before and had never reacted so strongly. So what was it?

The next, most reasonable explanation was that he was angry over the sudden loss of an apprentice. He _had _spent almost two years now training and polishing the boy to be the best assassin in the world, so naturally he was angry at the thought of losing his investment. Starting over would be a pain in the ass! Having to find someone suitable, attaining them, _keeping _them, training them… it never ended!

And so that's what he settled upon as an explanation. But he couldn't help but wonder… Had he really grown to care for the boy? Had he, after all this time, become accustomed to his presence to the point where he depended on him? It couldn't be possible; he couldn't actually _like _the boy! Robin was purely his apprentice, an object for him to toy with! Yet somehow, something deep inside of him knew that that wasn't entirely true….

A soft knock sounded on the door and Slade looked over as it began to open. Lila stood in the doorway, bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep. "Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?" she asked quietly, her voice tired. _The man must be completely distressed after last night_… She hadn't gotten much rest, having had nightmares whenever she did fall asleep. So, when she saw the sun come up, she decided to just get up and check on her guest.

"No," Slade replied, his voice hoarse from all the yelling.

"I'm sorry but I didn't catch your name, mister-" she paused, waiting for him to finish the sentence.

He hesitated before answering, "Slade." Not like she would know who he was anyways… They didn't even have a television.

"Well Slade, if there is anything you need, feel free to ask," she said as she was about to walk out of the door.

"Actually, I do have something that I need you to do," he replied, stopping her from leaving the doorway.

She looked back at him and nodded expectantly, waiting to hear what he needed. He sat up straight and inhaled, thinking about the day ahead of him. "I need you to watch him while I go and take care of something," he said, nodding towards the sleeping boy on the mattress.

She looked over at Robin with a soft expression, feeling bad for him. "How's he doing?" she asked. Honestly, she hadn't expected him to live last night and honestly, neither did Slade. It was his sheer persistence that had saved Robin. Even after he revived him and stopped the bleeding, he was almost certain that Robin would die from the loss of blood. Luckily for Slade, the human body can survive with a very little amount of blood left in it, though of course Robin would be weak as hell for days. Slade was just happy that he was alive, even if he would be bed ridden for a little while. Having a weak apprentice was better than a dead one, _for the most part… _

"He'll survive…" Slade replied coldly. She didn't like the way that he said that. Last night he had been so concerned, but after the boy was stabilized, he seemed to no longer care. She especially didn't understand why he refused to let Robin go to the hospital afterwards to get more blood.

"Just check on him and make sure that he is still breathing, I should be back in a few hours," he added. He knew that Robin would be okay, for the most part, but he was just paranoid. He had stayed up all night watching Robin breathe, scared that if he fell asleep, he might wake up to a dead apprentice.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye out on him," she promised. She was also slightly paranoid, it would be best to just sit in the room with him until his… _Slade_… came back. Who exactly was this man to him? Considering that he had saved the boy, she decided to just let her suspicions go. He couldn't be all that bad, right?

…

Slade walked out the front door and into the large field. It was a perfectly still day, not even so much as a breeze passing by. Above him was a seemingly endless clear blue sky, any person's dream but Slade's. It just meant more sun and more heat… He could see his car parked in the distance, both of the doors on the left-hand side wide open. _Did I leave the keys in the ignition too?_ His feet made a crunching sound as he walked and he looked down at the dead grass below. A small trail of blood was splattered on the ground, making a faint pathway from the car to the house.

Just looking at the blood trail made his heart accelerate as he thought back to running through that field. He could feel the panic all over again, the complete worry. What was wrong with him?! So what if Robin died?! Why should he care? He _was_ just his apprentice after all. So, why did just the thought of it scare him to death? Why was it that he could not even _picture_ his life without Robin? It just seemed so odd, thinking about not seeing the boy every day.

He approached the car and shut the back door before climbing inside the driver's seat. "Shit." He _had _left the keys in the ignition… _What the hell is wrong with me?! _Of course, he did have more important things on his mind at the time. Deciding to at least give it a shot, he turned the key. After a few moments, he rested his forehead on the wheel. "Knew it," he sighed, pulling the key out. The battery had died and now he was left to walk.

He stepped out of the car and slammed the door shut, not even bothering to lock it. _Who would steal a car out here anyways… _With a grunt of annoyance, he began walking down the long road ahead, once again left alone with nothing but his thoughts.

-Jump City-

It was now the afternoon after Cyborg and Raven's conversation. They had both fully intended to call a meeting immediately after their discussion, but Starfire was nowhere to be found and Beast Boy had finally retreated to his room. So, they decided to leave it until the next day to let everyone cool down. Plus, Cyborg could prepare for the flight with the added time. Their plane hadn't been used in a while and needed some maintenance.

Raven was standing stiffly in front of the window while Cyborg discussed plans on how to find Robin once in the city. Luckily for them, Starfire happened to stroll in, finally giving in to hunger. Upon seeing them, she turned to face the wall, her face indifferent. She had contemplated leaving the Titans to search for Robin on her own, but decided that her best chances were at the tower. The Titans _were_ her only friends in the world. Plus, they did have the best technology around.

"Star, we need to talk," Cyborg said seriously. She made a small _huff_ and opened the fridge.

"I do believe that you have done all the talking a few days ago!" she exclaimed, pulling out a jar of mustard and a loaf of bread as she did so.

"Look, Starfire, there is something you are going to want to see," Raven added.

"I do _not _want to see anything that you have to show me!" she said angrily, obviously still put off about what was said several nights ago.

"It's about Robin," Cyborg stated, trying to catch her attention. It worked as she turned around with an eager expression. "We found him…" he added with a smile.

"Y-you… you did?" she asked breathlessly, her heart speeding up. Within a moment's time she felt nervous, excited, scared, and joyful, _all at the same time_…

"Yeah, he's in New York," Cyborg affirmed.

"You are the sure?" she asked, shaking lightly from nerves. She stood with her hands clasped together, her face hopeful. Raven looked down, recognizing that face. It brought up bad memories that she didn't want to particularly remember.

"Yes, but before I show you why, where is BB?" he asked, "He should be here for this."

"I'll go get him," Raven stated before melting into a portal of black magic.

"And it is really Robin this time?" Starfire asked uneasily. Cyborg could hear the pain in her voice as bad memories haunted her mind. He nodded, sending her heart into the clouds. This was it! They were finally going to save Robin, their friend, their leader! She was beginning to become overwhelmed, feeling more joy in that moment than she had over the past two years. She felt like she was going to explode at any moment.

Several moments later, Raven reappeared, her face slightly sullen behind her uncaring mask. Cyborg looked at her and she nodded, "He's coming." She had just knocked on Beast Boy's door and told him that there was something urgent that needed to be discussed in the ops room. She had never felt more awkward in her life than when he opened that door. Neither could look each other in the face and his emotions practically knocked her out with their intensity. She decided to just teleport back, rather than walk with him.

The door slid open and a very oddly fatigued looking Beast Boy entered the room. Something seemed off with him and quite frankly, he looked depressed.

"Yo, BB!" Cyborg started cheerily, but upon seeing his face, lowered his voice, "Are you okay?" Beast Boy nodded, avoiding eye contact with his friend. Cyborg paused, not certain whether or not to pursue the matter or just continue with the news.

"Tell Beast Boy the wonderful news!" Starfire piped in cheerily. The sound of her voice threw Beast Boy off as his ears perked up. He hadn't heard that tone of voice in a few months. Not since…

He looked up, his face lifting slightly, as he gave Cyborg a questioning look. "BB, we found Robin!" he exclaimed.

"What?!" Beast Boy shouted, completely shocked. "Are you serious?!" Cyborg nodded and Starfire giggled in excitement. "Where? When? How do you know?!" His mind was reeling with questions, hadn't they just four nights ago argued over giving up on him?

"He is in New York, but I don't know for how much longer, so we have to move fast." Everyone was looking at Cyborg eagerly except Raven, who was hiding her face in the shadows of her hood.

"Wait, so we're going to New York?!" Beast Boy asked elatedly.

"Yeah, look, we're wasting time. The plane is ready and all we need to do is pack, so let me just explain real quick so that we can go," Cyborg said, wanting to leave as soon as possible. At the mention of leaving so quickly, Starfire made an odd chirping sound. "Remember how that biotech company was robbed a while back?" he asked and everyone, except Raven, nodded. "Well, they finally released the description of the attacker and well… you should read this." He picked up two papers, identical to the one that he gave Raven, and handed them to the two other Titans.

Beast Boy began to read the paper, his heart speeding up as he did so. "_About a week ago, Neuro Link Inc., an up and coming biotech company was attacked. The authorities have released a description of the perpetrator based off of several eye witness accounts: The attacker was described as a white male in his late teens to early twenties in peak physical shape. He was supposedly wearing two different articles of clothing throughout the attack: the first being a lab coat with the company's insignia, and the second being a full body suit. The body suit was described as solid black with a large orange 'S' across the entire front of the torso. He was also wearing a small eye covering mask and possessed a small stock of weapons including, but not limited to: smoke bombs, explosive bombs, and flash bombs. He is considered to be very dangerous, so do not approach him if you see him, but rather call the New York Police Department at-" _Beast Boy had stopped reading towards the end of the article, not seeing it necessary to read the contact information for the New York Police Department. He already had those numbers memorized anyways…

Being the last to finish, Beast Boy looked up at Cyborg, his expression triumphant. "See! I told you so!" he exclaimed happily, not actually trying to brag. "And you wanted to give up! If we had we'd have never found him!" Immediately after finishing the sentence, he looked over to Raven, cutting off abruptly. She remained hidden behind her hood, showing no response to what he had just said.

"I'm going to go pack," she murmured before engulfing herself in her magic again. Beast Boy watched her disappear, regretting his previous remark.

"I will go too!" Starfire exclaimed happily before running out of the room on the verge of flight. Cyborg and Beast Boy stood alone in the room, left to awkward silence.

"I guess you were right…" Cyborg admitted, his arm scratching the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I guess so…" Beast Boy suddenly didn't feel so boastful anymore. "Well, I guess we better go pack," he said, trying to get off topic.

"I'm already packed," Cyborg replied. In fact, he was pretty sure that Raven had already packed last night after doing some serious research on abandoned buildings in New York.

"Oh." Since when had it become so awkward with Cyborg? He was supposed to be the one person Beast Boy could be comfortable around… The two stood in silence for a short while before Beast Boy made towards the door.

"Wait, BB…" Cyborg called after him.

"Yeah?" Beast Boy replied, sticking his head back in through the door.

"Look, I'm just… If it wasn't for you and your… persistence, we would have never found him… ya know?" he said, wanting to tell Beast Boy how grateful he was.

"Oh, don't worry about it… We all contributed, in our own way," he trailed off, walking into the hallway as he did so. He honestly hated taking all the credit, Cyborg was the one who looked into New York and found Robin anyways…

"Well thanks…" Cyborg said to the retreating back of his friend. He didn't particularly know what to do at this point since he was already packed and ready to go. So, he settled upon eating a not so small snack. It was a long flight after all and he would only be able to eat once on the plane.

As he fingered through the food selection in the fridge he thought back to all of the previous leads. "Let's just hope he doesn't slip through our fingers again…" he whispered to no one, becoming slightly nervous at the thought of everyone's excitement. _He won't, I won't let him this time… This time, we will save Robin. _

-New York-

The sun was starting to set as the afternoon winded down. Inside a small cabin, a man was sitting on the couch, reading a book, while his wife sat next to a sleeping boy in an adjoining room.

Robin's eyes fluttered as he started to regain consciousness and he let out a small groan. He felt _so_ weak. As his eyes opened fully, he could see the face of a kind woman, most likely in her fifties, looking at him with concern.

"Hey, Allen! He's waking up!" Robin could hear her shout across the house, though it was very muddled. His head pounded as he looked around the room. _Where was he?!_ He tried to think back to the last thing that he could remember, but found that it just hurt his head more. "Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" the woman asked softly. _In what world does a kind woman, calling me sweetie, wake me up?!_ Robin was thoroughly confused at the moment.

He groaned again and tried to sit up, not liking that he didn't know where he was or who he was with. His head began to spin and the woman grabbed his torso and pressed him back down. "Don't sit up hun, you'll hurt yourself." Robin felt a constricting pain in his chest and his hand flew to his bandages.

"Where am I? Who are you?" he asked, his usually monotonous voice full of bewilderment. Allen was now standing in the back of the room near the door, watching the boy's eyes dart along the room.

"Don't worry! My name is Lila, and that," she said, pointing towards the man in the back, "is my husband Allen. We are watching you while your… _caretaker_ is away." She didn't know what else to call him since she didn't know their relation to each other.

"My caretaker?" he asked confusedly.

"Yes, Slade, I believe." At the mention of that name, Robin sighed as his eyes glazed over again. Lila mistook this as relief and decided to continue, "He brought you to our house to save you… He did a very good job! You were in… not good condition…" she trailed off, wanting to put her foot in her mouth.

"Do you remember what happened?" Allen asked, joining the conversation. As Robin was about to reply with a 'no', Lila spoke up, cutting him off.

"Allen!" she gasped, "Leave the poor boy to rest! He obviously does not want to relive what happened the moment he wakes up!" She didn't want to overwhelm the poor kid; after all, he must be pretty traumatized.

"Sorry, sorry," he said defensively, raising his hands in defeat. Robin rather liked this couple, they were… _sweet_.

"How about I get you a nice cup of soup?" she asked, trying to sound soothing.

"Where is Slade?" Robin asked, completely throwing her off guard.

"Um, well… I don't really know… He said that he had some business to take care of before leaving…" she explained, "but don't worry! He said he would be back soon!" She was trying to cheer Robin up, not knowing that the effect would be the exact opposite.

Robin couldn't help but be slightly pissed… So here he was, lying in a stranger's bed, apparently gravely injured, and Slade was off doing business! _What a dick!_ At least he would get a few hours of good company before having to go back to his normal life. He was honestly shocked that he felt angry, because first of all, he didn't feel emotions anymore, and second of all, he shouldn't want Slade there anyways. He decided to blame it on the injury… Must have messed with his mental barrier…

"Now how about that soup?" she asked. Even if he didn't want it, she was going to force it down his throat; he needed to eat. Luckily for her, he wasn't so reluctant and nodded enthusiastically at the thought of food.

…

"So, what is your name?" Allen asked, looking at the boy sipping soup across from him at the table. Lila was listening as she cleaned the pots and dishes.

He looked up at the man, a spoon in hand, "Robin."

"Robin?" Allen asked with a chuckle. He didn't even know that that was a name, let alone a _male's _name. His wife looked back, giving him a disapproving look, to which he responded with a shrug.

"It's a nickname my mother used to call me by, it just kind of stuck," Robin explained.

"And your mother is?..." Allen pressed, not sure whether or not he wanted to know.

"Dead," Robin answered emotionlessly. Lila stopped cleaning suddenly, extremely angry that her husband had asked such a question.

"I'm sorry…" he apologized awkwardly, regretting being so nosy.

"It's fine," Robin assured, taking another bite of his meal. It had been _years _since he had thought of his parents, it didn't bother him anymore, especially recently.

"So, that man… Slade, he is your father?"

"Allen! Stop pressing the boy!" Lila shouted across the room. "Just let him enjoy his meal in peace!" Although she was angry at his incessant questioning, she too was curious about whom Slade was.

"No, it's fine… Slade, he is my…" Robin fought the urge to say master, as it would not sound particularly good to the couple across from him. "Uncle…" He didn't want to call Slade his father, but he thought it best if they thought that they were related. Uncle was good enough…

Allen wanted to ask what had happened to Robin's father, but seeing his wife's expression, decided against it. Perhaps later…

The three sat in silence in the living room after Lila had finished cleaning the dishes. Allen was reading while Robin looked around the room, staring at a particularly large blood stain in the carpet.

"How long have you two been married?" he asked, deciding that for the first time in over a year, he could let his guard down and act human.

"Oh, just about forever," Allen joked. Lila slapped him lightly on the arm before continuing knitting.

"Twenty Seven years in May," she said contentedly. "We met when we were just school kids, but didn't get together until after high school. This _fool_ just couldn't get up the courage to ask me on a date!" she said, slapping Allen again. Robin stared at the two, disbelieving at how happy they still seemed.

"Hey! That's not true! I just… okay, yeah it's true…" he admitted, chuckling slightly. "But hey, I got you in the end didn't I?" If Robin hadn't spent all the time with Slade that he had, he might have smiled at that. He used to like seeing older couples who were still in love, it was a rare sight.

"And not a moment too soon!" she laughed. Allen had put down his book and Lila seemed to be reminiscing by the look in her eyes. After a few moments, she looked back at Robin. "Tell me, is there a special lady in your life?" she asked.

Robin felt like a brick had hit him in the chest, he hadn't thought about that in forever… "Um… well… Uh…" he rambled, not knowing what to say, when three loud knocks were heard on the broken door. He made to stand up, but was stopped by Lila before he could get out of the chair.

"Just sit and relax," she commanded before walking to open the door. The sound of the door opening with a loud creak was followed by heavy footsteps walking through the hallway. Robin leaned his head to the side, knowing that sound. Lila re-entered the room, closely followed by Slade. He was in a new uniform and held a small duffle bag in his hand.

"Has he eaten yet?" he asked with a musky voice.

"Yes, we gave him a bowl of pea soup and some crackers," Lila answered.

He grunted in response before walking over to Robin and dropping the bag on the floor. "New uniform for you…." Robin looked down at the bag, not particularly feeling like getting up and putting on a skin tight body suit. The loose clothes Lila had put him in were extremely comfortable. "We need to change your bandages," Slade grunted as he pulled out a medical kit from the bag.

Robin sighed and Slade began to pull him out of the chair, knowing that he was too weak to stand up on his own. "Can we do it here?" Robin asked. Slade gave him a suspicious look before sitting him back down in the chair. Lila and Allen looked at each other while Slade began to pull Robin's shirt off. The bandages around his chest were light pink and badly needed to be replaced. He began to tear them off, being careful to not aggravate the wound into bleeding again.

"What happened?" Robin asked quietly. Slade was towering over him as he sat, unwrapping him quickly. He stopped what he was doing and looked down at Robin's face, still leaning over him. He didn't think that Robin would have memory loss… Allen and Lila both stopped what they were doing, listening carefully. They were after all, very curious about what had happened.

"We were… _at work_… when you were shot… someone who wasn't accounted for," Slade said expressionlessly, being mindful of the listening couple, before continuing with his work.

"I was shot?" he asked breathlessly. He couldn't believe it, he never made mistakes.

"Yes, missed your lung by half an inch…" Slade explained stiffly. _Would it kill this man to show any sort of emotion?_ "Brought you here since it was the closest inhabited building."

Robin looked down to the ruined carpet. "Did I almost die?" he asked, much to Lila and Allen's discomfort. Slade stopped what he was doing again and stood there with the old bandages in his hands. Something changed in his eye, but it was too small for Robin to notice.

"You did die," he stated, turning to throw the bandages in the medical bag before grabbing a new set.

"Oh." Robin's face remained the same, not showing any indication that he had just been told about his own, almost permanent, death.

"For two minutes…" Slade added, remembering all the pumping he did. Lila winced and Robin's eyes narrowed slightly as Slade began cleaning the wound. After several minutes of silence, Robin was bandaged up and ready to go to bed. Even after all of the sleep he got this morning, he was still tired.

He crawled into the sheets of his blow up mattress and huffed as he dropped his head on the pillow. Slade had gone to the kitchen to grab something to eat after dropping him off in the room, not saying a word to him as he did so.

A soft knock sounded and the door opened. Lila walked into the room, closing the door behind her before sitting on the edge of Robin's bed. She put the back of her hand to his forehead, feeling for his temperature. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Fine." Both knew that that wasn't entirely true.

"Look," she said, checking behind her shoulder to make sure they were alone, "I know he may seem very hard, but he really cares about you… I can tell." Robin's face remained the same, making Lila sigh. Why was it that he hid behind such an emotionless mask? She had noticed it since he first opened his eyes. It kind of frightened her, how empty they were. What had happened to him to make him so distant? "Honey, if there is something wrong, you can tell me. I promise I won't tell a soul, I'm a very good secret keeper," she said, trying to lighten the mood a bit. When he didn't reply, she decided to leave him be.

"If there is anything that you need, do not hesitate to ask. I am here for you sweetie, you are safe now," she said before leaving him alone in the room. _Safe…_ Robin sat there for a while, thinking about the concept, so foreign, so unreal…. _Safe…._

* * *

I regret to inform you that it might be another week until an update, so I apologize in advance! Thank you for reading and please review!


	14. Confessions

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! You guys are the best!

* * *

-New York-

While Robin lay in his bed, having finally fallen asleep, Lila and Allen were in their own room, quite awake. The two were sitting in bed and reading books, as was their routine. Though one of them couldn't seem to concentrate as her mind kept wandering off elsewhere. With a sigh, Lila dropped her book into her lap, having read the same sentence five times in a row, and looked over at Allen.

After being stared at intently for about a minute, Allen got the hint and put his book down. "What's wrong?" he sighed agitatedly. He knew that if he ignored her he would just be worse off in the long run.

"I just… I can't stop thinking about that poor boy," she admitted, happy that they were finally alone long enough for her to get that off her chest.

"Yeah I know, unfortunate what happened to him…" Allen affirmed, trying to end the conversation by just agreeing with his wife, as was his learned method. He wasn't particularly in the mood to share feelings right now… or _ever_….

"No, not that… I mean that _was_ unfortunate, but I mean, he just seems so distant and… _sad_." She could see the depression in Robin's eyes, beyond the uncaring exterior. He really didn't seem to be alive at all. At first she thought it was the shock of nearly dying, but after spending time with him earlier today, she was beginning to think otherwise.

"Well, he was just told that he died Lila. I think anyone might be a little _sad_ hearing that," Allen explained, fidgeting with his pillow to get comfortable as he did so.

"No, it's something different. I can't explain it, but it seems like he's already dead, like there is no life in him. And he's so young… too young… I tried talking to him, but he insisted that he was fine." Allen was now the one giving _her_ a disapproving look.

"Maybe he just doesn't want to talk, or maybe, just maybe, there is nothing actually wrong," he hypothesized. "Or maybe he doesn't want to spill his heart out to a woman he just met. So, to quote someone quite intelligent, stop pressing the boy!" Lila was quite taken aback from being spoken to in such a manner and gave Allen a look that made him quite uneasy. _Great, now I'm in trouble… _

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude," he apologized, trying to salvage the situation. "All I'm saying is that if the boy wants to talk, he will come to you. If not, then just leave him be." His wife looked down at the comforter, thinking about the truth in his words. She didn't want to be one of those people who pressed everything out of others; she was just trying to help the kid.

"Yeah, you're right… But I'm also curious about his Uncle," she said worriedly.

"What about him? He's seems all right…" What was with his wife and her endless concerns?!

"Well then, why did he refuse so adamantly to call the police or an ambulance? Huh?" she asked, getting no response. "It could have been the difference between life and death for the boy! And why were they both wearing masks?" Allen put his hand up, stopping her from talking.

"It doesn't really matter now, Robin is alive isn't he?"

"Yes, but-"

"No, no buts. Don't go looking into this Lila, just leave it alone. They both seem nice enough. It would be rude to give them the third degree, they are our guests and they haven't done anything so far to make us not trust them. So just leave it alone, just this once." Allen honestly didn't care who they were, for all he knew 'Robin' and 'Slade' could be fake names, they certainly sounded like it. So long as they didn't do anything to harm him or his wife, he really didn't want to know.

"But what about the masks? Most people don't walk around wearing skin tight suit things and masks! And the fact that Robin got shot!" She lowered her voice and looked to the door. "Do you think that they are criminals?" she whispered, not wanting to be overheard.

"I don't know, but I'm certainly not going to ask! It would be better for everyone if we just kept the peace. They could be secret government agents or they could be bank robbers, the latter being more likely, but I don't care. All I care about is that you are safe! Plus, think of what a good deed we are doing, letting them stay here! You are always talking about how you wish you could do more for other people, so here's your opportunity." Lila's face softened as she thought about that. This _was_ a perfect opportunity to reach out to others.

"Now, can I get back to reading my book?" he asked, clearly annoyed. Lila nodded and rolled over, pulling the covers up to her neck and thinking about what he had just said. Her husband was right; she shouldn't question them, especially considering what Robin just went through. It didn't matter who they were, so long as they remained nice. So, she decided to let just her suspicions go and be a good hostess, making their stay as comfortable as possible for as long as they were there.

…

Slade had just finished eating and was now sitting in the living room; not feeling tired enough to go to sleep. He was sick of having nothing to do! It had only been a few days of inactivity so far and he was already going insane! He preferred to be left alone with his thoughts most of the time, but that was when he had serious strategic planning to do. Now he was just sitting around twiddling his thumbs, stuck contemplating everything.

He began to think about Robin's near death, _again_. Before, he had just been thinking about everything that went wrong, nit picking his reaction to the situation, but now he was wondering about what might have happened.

What if Robin had died? What would he do? Honestly, he had no idea, he had never thought about what he would do should Robin die. Would he continue on with his global city takeover? He could do it alone, but would he really want to? It would make things much slower and almost pointless. What was the use of controlling all the major cities in the world if you have no one to pass it onto one day?

If he didn't continue on, then what would he do to occupy his time? Perhaps he could have gotten back into the assassin for hire business, taken his mind off things. Though he had become used to being the boss, becoming the worker again would be a difficult transition…

Had he truly become that accustomed to Robin? It couldn't be possible! When did he suddenly become _needy_?! When did Robin suddenly become his partner rather than his worker? It couldn't be true; Robin was his property, nothing more... Becoming sick of his internal struggle, Slade stood up and walked to the study. He wasn't supposed to question himself; he was the one in control!

Inside the room, the boy in question was lying on the blow up mattress, obviously deep in sleep by the sound of his snoring. Slade approached Robin and stood over him, watching him breathe. His face looked exactly same asleep as it did awake, both being equally blank.

If Robin wasn't used to Slade staring at him possessively all the time, it might have scared him if he woke up. Luckily for him, he was far gone in a dreamless sleep, as was his norm. He no longer had dreams, not after he receded into himself and became a shell of a person. Giving up was the only way that he could keep from the nightmares.

Slade watched the boy sleep; thinking about how ridiculous it was that he seemed to need him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, making sure not to wake Robin, and rested his head in his hands with a sigh of annoyance. This was never supposed to happen; he was supposed to be in control. That was how he liked it; he _needed _to be the one in control. And now he seemed to be losing it… ever since he had gained a_ partner_… He had always worked alone, so why did he decide to change that in the first place? "Why do I need you?" he expressed quietly, instantly becoming appalled with himself afterwards. _Did that seriously just come out of my mouth?! _With a grunt of anger, he stood back up harshly and stormed out of the room, furious with himself.

Robin continued to sleep, unknowing that Slade had just admitted something out loud that he couldn't even admit internally.

-Somewhere in the Midwest-

The Titans now sat in the T-ship, having packed and left the Tower a little over an hour ago. The plane had however been completely remodeled since Robin went missing. Flying with an empty compartment was just too depressing, so Cyborg decided to rebuild it to be like a normal plane with one area for controlling the ship. Now there were five chairs sitting at different levels throughout one large room, with only one having control over the actual ship. The fifth was installed should they ever find Robin and have to fly him back home.

Cyborg sat in the front of the room at the command station, humming lightly. Behind him were three chairs that sat side by side at different heights. Raven sat towards the far right, raised on a platform, while Starfire sat in the middle at ground level. The chair on the left was also raised on a platform, but was empty.

In the very back of the cabin was the extra seat, which currently had Beast Boy in it. He didn't particularly feel like sitting with the others right now, no matter how happy the occasion may be. Raven had taken notice of his odd mood since he first came out of his room, but had decided not to say anything considering the terms they were on.

"Goin to New York! Yeah baby!" Cyborg shouted happily, giving in to the enthusiasm despite his reservations. Starfire chirped in excitement and started bouncing in her seat, unable to control herself. Upon seeing this, Raven stood up and walked towards the cargo room, her cloak hiding her face as she did so. Beast Boy watched her as she left the room, lowering his head afterwards to look at the floor.

"How long do you think until we arrive in the New of York?" Starfire asked eagerly, clearly unable to contain her glee.

Cyborg glanced back at her, smiling, "A few hours, assuming that nothing goes wrong." Starfire's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the remark. "Don't worry, nothing will happen, I just fixed her up, she'll run fine," he assured, patting the control system as he did so. It had been a while since the two sounded so… _normal…_

Starfire sat back and tried to relax, to no avail. She couldn't help it, they were about to save Robin! They were finally going to get him back; _she_ was finally going to get him back! And nothing would get in her way, not even Slade. She would do anything to save Robin, _anything. _She just hoped that he wasn't too troubled afterwards; she wanted things to go back to the way they used to be. Being the naïve girl that she was, she truly believed that everything would go back to normal relatively soon after rescuing him.

Cyborg, however, was a little more realistic with his expectations. He fully expected Robin to be traumatized and require years of counseling. He honestly didn't even believe that Robin would continue on with being a hero afterwards. He fully expected Robin to hang up the cape and try to live a normal life. Unlike Starfire, he knew that Robin was probably forced to do things he didn't want to, maybe even including murder. Little did he know that Robin's body count was now in the triple digit area, going on quadruple.

Beast Boy was becoming concerned now that Raven had been gone for over ten minutes. He stood up, looking over at the other two titans, and made for the cargo door. Neither Cyborg nor Starfire had noticed that two of their friends were now missing from the control room.

Inside the cargo compartment, Beast Boy stood still, trying to find his teammate. It was extremely dark and all he could make out were shadows. As his vision began to adjust, he heard soft footsteps towards the left of the room. He began to walk towards the sound, bumping his shins on every box and bag along the way and making hissing noises each time. Raven already knew that he was in the room, having sensed him, but waited until he had hit his shin for the fifth time to finally come out of the shadows.

"What is it Beast Boy?" she asked monotonously, looking at the boy bent over and clutching his knees before her. He stood up abruptly, a blush forming on his face that was completely concealed in the darkness.

"Um- well… I wanted to see if you were okay… You kind of just disappeared…" he explained, rambling awkwardly.

"I'm fine," she replied, hinting for him to leave her alone.

"Ah, okay then…" Both stared at each other for some time in silence before Raven shifted her weight in discomfort.

"So… is that it?" she asked, trying to get him to leave, though she knew that he came here for a reason other than checking on her.

"Well, no… I kind of wanted to…um-" Raven raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to just say it, waiting for him to rub it in and yell at her for being wrong. She deserved it after all; she had tried to make them give up on Robin. If she had had it her way, then they would never be heading to New York right now and Robin would be stuck with Slade forever... All because she couldn't handle the stress anymore. It had been eating away at her since she heard Cyborg's news, she couldn't find rest anywhere with all the guilt, not even through meditation.

"I'm sorry!" he cried out, causing Raven to take a step back in surprise. She looked at him with bewilderment, her usual façade completely gone.

_"You're _sorry?" she asked breathlessly.

Beast Boy couldn't contain it anymore and just blurted everything out in one go. "I'm so sorry! I have been so mean to you lately and all we have been doing is arguing. I know that you just had all of us in mind, you were just trying to protect us and I yelled at you. I am so, so, so sorry Rae!" If at all possible, she looked even more shocked from being called 'Rae'. He hadn't called her that since they started arguing after the first failed rescue attempt. "And I am especially sorry for what I called you. You did not deserve that and I am disgusted with myself! There is no excuse for what I did! You are not at all a-a bitch…" Having finished, he stopped to breathe, hoping that she could somehow begin to forgive him.

After spending time cooling off in his room two days ago, he had come to realize that Raven did not deserve to be called that. He had been so guilty the past few days that he could barely think straight. All he could concentrate on was finding a way to apologize to her, but he couldn't seem to get up the courage until now. If only he knew that she had spent the same amount of time trying to find a way to apologize to him.

"Say something Rae, please. Yell at me if you have to, but just say something!" he shouted at the dazed girl in front him. He was beginning to think that she was too angry at him to respond. She made a small throaty sound and opened her mouth, but no words came out. Did he really just apologize? _To me?_ "Say something!" he repeated, his voice pleading.

"I-I… Beast Boy," she said softly. He nodded eagerly, waiting to get an ear full from her. "I'm… sorry too." It was now Beast Boy's turn to be shocked; that certainly wasn't what he had expected to hear. "I behaved immaturely and I was wrong. I thought I knew what was best for the team, but I forgot that Robin was part of the team. I wasn't thinking about what was best for him, but what was easiest for me. I started to make myself believe that if we moved on, we could be happy again and it would somehow be less painful, but that was selfish of me, I realize that now." She paused, thinking about what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry that things have been so tense with us lately, I don't know why I have been shutting all of you out… And if it weren't for you Beast Boy, we wouldn't have found Robin. If you guys had listened to me, then he would have been lost forever. I gave up on him and on you all, and for that I am truly sorry," she apologized with all sincerity.

She felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, like she finally could breathe again. "Rae," he sighed in disbelief. "Don't… don't… it's okay. Like you said, you did what you thought was best for the team and that's what matters."

"That does not make it excusable…" she stated, looking down and trying to hide her face in the shadows.

Beast Boy paused and looked at her for a moment, feeling bad that she felt so guilty. He could see it on her face. "I forgive you Rae," he replied softly. Upon hearing that, she felt slightly better; though still not completely guilt free. "Do you forgive me?" he asked painfully, knowing that he didn't deserve her forgiveness. Not after what he had called her…

She nodded and he smiled in response. "Thank you Rae."

"Don't thank me," she said uncomfortably. "How about we get back to the cabin? I bet the other two are wondering where we are." Beast Boy nodded in conjecture and the two started walking towards the door with him in the lead. Both felt slightly embarrassed, but pleased with what just happened. It had been so long since they were on good terms. It was sad considering what good friends they used to be… Both just hoped that this was the beginning of a new era, one where the Titans could live in peace together_; all of them_... Hopefully the next time they were on this plane, it would be as a team, full and complete again.

Beast Boy had reached the door when he stopped suddenly, causing Raven to almost bump into him. He turned around and looked at her intently, much to her discomfort. "And Rae?" Raven nodded for him to continue, wondering what else he could possibly have to say. "Don't ever leave. When I told you to leave the tower and the Titans, I didn't mean it. Don't ever leave us!" he said in all seriousness.

"I won't Beast Boy."

"Promise?" he asked forcefully, almost as if it was a command.

"Promise."

-New York-

It was now mid-morning and the small cabin was buzzing with life. Lila was cleaning the aftermath of a particularly large breakfast while Robin sat at the table, offering help that would be quickly denied. Slade and Allen were sitting in the living room, discussing various topics such as guns, the military, and exercise regimes. Far away, but closer than ever, were the Titans, sitting in the T-ship and looking over a map of New York. Cyborg and Raven had already made a list of districts and buildings to check and they were now just making a schedule. If only Robin knew that his ex-teammates were closer than they had ever been to him.

"Are you sure you don't want help with that?" He was trying to be polite, but Lila would not have it.

"For the last time, no! You just sit back and relax. You need your rest," she commanded. It was true, Robin still felt weak and tired, though he was almost fully recovered.

After a few minutes of silence, Lila finished cleaning the dishes and plopped down onto a chair across from Robin with a sigh. She could tell he was still holding back, hiding behind a mask. "So Robin, tell me a bit about yourself," she said, trying to get him to open up.

"There's nothing much to tell." _Besides the fact that I was raised by Batman, formed my own superhero team, was kidnapped by an evil mastermind who forced me into submission, and am a cold blooded killer…_

"Oh, I'm sure that's not true, what do you like to do?" That was an easy question; he_ had_ to open up a little with that.

"Nothing," he replied emotionlessly.

"Nothing?" she asked skeptically, her eyebrows raised. "There is nothing that you like to do?"

"No." His face was blank as he spoke; she had noticed that the more that time went on, the more empty he became. He was a lot livelier after he woke up from his gunshot wound. She would have to do something about that…and soon, before he died from lack of human qualities.

"Well then, how about that question I asked last night?" she suggested playfully. "Is there a special someone in your life?" Robin's face twitched slightly and she smiled, knowing that there was someone. "Who is she? Tell me about her," she encouraged.

"No one, there's no one special in my life," he declared adamantly, seeing truth behind it.

"Ah, but there was?" _Damn this woman and her need to connect with me…_ She smiled again, encouraging him to vent.

"Not anymore," he said emptily. Though he had no tone in his voice, she could tell that there was pain there, even if he didn't show it or admit it.

"What happened?" Upon getting no answer, she placed her hands across the table on his. "Everything that you say to me is safe; I promise that I won't tell a soul! You can trust me sweetie," she assured soothingly.

Robin eyed her skeptically. Perhaps he should just say something to get her off his back. He could act human for a day, it might kill him, but he could do it. All he had to do was pretend like he cared, like he had feelings and emotions…Trying desperately to make his face look normal, he decided to throw her a bone.

"We grew apart," he said truthfully. Just because he was acting, didn't mean that he couldn't be honest about it. And honestly, how different was 'I was kidnapped and I haven't seen her in nearly two years' from 'We grew apart'? Practically the same!

"Why did you grow apart?" She sounded genuinely concerned for him, something that he was not used to.

"I'm not the same person I was before," he answered, once again truthfully. He wasn't even close to being the same person, not even his body was the same as it had been so badly marked and abused.

"Well, hun, if she truly cared about you, then she would understand. She would accept the new you!"

"No, she, of all the people from my past life would not understand." _Past life?_ Lila couldn't help but wonder what that meant. "None of them would accept me, I'm different now. They wouldn't like the new me," he said, knowing that they would be appalled by him if they met him. He was now everything that they, that he, ever hated and worked against.

"Do _you_ like the new you?" she asked, striking a nerve. He hadn't expected her to ask such a tough and personal question. He of course knew the answer to that. _No, I despise the new me. _He didn't even like calling himself by the term 'me'; he preferred to distance himself from well, himself.

Seeing a flash of what she interpreted as pain in his face, Lila squeezed his hand sympathetically. He was becoming pretty good at acting… "If you don't like who you are, then change it." Robin looked her in the eyes for the first time since she sat down.

"It's too late to change," he said painfully. "There's no turning back now…"

She squeezed his hands and looked into his still empty eyes. "It's _never_ too late to change," she emphasized encouragingly. She thoroughly believed this to be true, having witnessed amazing transformations in her lifetime. Robin appeared unmoved, so she pulled his hands in further towards her. "Listen Robin, it's never too late to become who you want to be, no matter your past. What you decide to do now defines who you will become. _You_ choose who you are, no one else can choose for you."

_Wow, she is really insightful…_ But could it be true? Could you really decide who you wanted to be when you are held prisoner? When you are punished for doing what you want and rewarded for doing what your master commands? Her words reached Robin on a level he didn't know he had. They would stick with him forever, haunting his mind for the rest of his days.

…

Meanwhile, in the front room, Allen and Slade were standing at the front door with a toolbox on the ground next to them.

"Well, it looks like it was mostly damage to the hinges, nothing major, thank God," Allen observed. "Lila would kill me if I didn't get this fixed today," he laughed. Slade leaned over him and looked at the damage to the door itself. Besides a minor crack in the wood towards the top right corner, Allen was right, there really was none.

"Let me do it," Slade commanded, realizing afterwards that he might have said that a little too forcefully. He was so used to telling Robin what to do that that was how he spoke now. Allen looked up at him as he was crouched down. "I broke it, I should fix it," Slade explained. That was as close to an apology as the man was going to get.

"That's really not necessary…" Allen replied modestly.

"You are offering your house and food to us, just let me fix the door." Allen stood up and stepped aside, allowing for Slade to move in closer. He pulled some tools out of the box and began to work on fixing the hinges attached to the door. Allen stood over him, watching as he worked. This guy really wasn't so bad; Lila just needs to learn to trust people.

"So, you and your nephew work together?" he asked, trying to dispel the silence as it made him uncomfortable. Slade stopped what he was doing and looked up at the man. _Nephew?_

"Yes," he replied. "Almost two years now."

"How do you like that? Working with your relative?" Allen asked curiously. He knew that he could never work with relatives; it would put too much strain on the relationship.

"It's fine. Robin is an excellent worker. It took me a while to train him, but once he got it, he really excelled," Slade said proudly, not quite knowing why he was telling the man anything. Allen seemed to mean well, and weirdly enough, Slade felt that he could honestly trust him.

"Oh, so you trained him? Is it a family business type thing?"

"I guess you could say so. The whole reason I started training him was so that I could pass it on to him one day," he admitted, saying it more for himself than for Allen. Allen nodded and made a small 'hmph' sound, not having anything else to ask without getting too personal.

"What about you? Do you have any kids?" Slade asked, carrying on the conversation for unknown reasons. He figured, why not? What did he have to lose from talking to someone who helped save Robin's life? He and Robin seemed to be acting extraordinarily _human_ today….

"Yeah, me and Lila have a son in Chicago, Kevin," he said proudly.

"How old?" Slade asked as he continued working on the door.

"Twenty-Nine," he explained. Allen's face fell as he thought of his son. Kevin hadn't visited them since his twenty-fifth birthday. They honestly didn't even know if he still lived in Chicago. They had tried contacting him, but his phone always went to voicemail. So, for now, they were just waiting for the day that they would get a call from their one and only child.

Slade made a noise of acknowledgment and the two stood in silence for the remainder of the time, neither able to think of anything worth talking about.

* * *

You all can interpret Robin and Lila's conversation however you want to. I figure you all will have different opinions as to whether or not he was still acting towards the end... And by the way, I love how you all interpreted Slade's reaction to Robin getting shot differently, it was extremely interesting to read your guys' opinions! So, once again, please review! Because I adore reading your reviews!


	15. Familiar Faces

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

It has been exactly two months since I published the first chapter! So, here is Chapter 15 to celebrate!

* * *

-New York-

"Nothing," Raven sighed, having just come out of a building to inform her teammates of its vacancy. Cyborg and Beast Boy growled in annoyance as she walked towards them. They were standing by the fence of an abandoned factory, waiting for the verdict. All of them decided it would be best to just send one person in while the others stood guard. If anything happened, then they would join the one sent in to investigate.

Starfire stood at the gate, leaning on a pole with a frustrated and disappointed look on her face. "Don't worry, we still have two thirds of the city left to search, and that's just in abandoned buildings…" Cyborg assured, getting a look of hope from Starfire.

"Yeah, and we still have to talk to the police on the scene of that robbery. There's still plenty to go on Star," Beast Boy added. She nodded and walked to join them at the front of the fence.

"So, what is next on the agenda?" Beast Boy asked, already becoming tired of searching random buildings. They had spent the past several hours taking a tour of the city's ruins and he was sick of it. He wanted to go through the police records and search the inner city. He hadn't planned to go factory shopping on the first day, but had been outvoted by Raven and Cyborg who wanted to start the search immediately.

"Looks like there is another factory several blocks north of here, plenty of space for a base, I say we check it out," Cyborg explained, looking down at a map as he did so. Raven looked down at her list of addresses, checking to see where he was talking about.

"42278 Haven Boulevard?" she asked.

"Um… yup, that's the one," he confirmed as she checked it off the list. As much as Beast Boy hated it, staying organized was the key to maintaining an effective search. They didn't need to be repeating any searches by accident or missing a building due to poor documentation.

"Can we at least get something to eat first?" Everyone looked over at Beast Boy, a mixed group of reactions on their faces. Honestly, Cyborg could go for some food, especially considering that they hadn't eaten in several hours and had missed his normal lunch time. Raven and Starfire on the other hand were not happy that Beast Boy was thinking about food at such a critical time. "We aren't going to get anywhere if we can't think straight due to lack of nutrition!" he declared.

"We are in the middle of a search Beast Boy," Raven said condescendingly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't eat!" he replied.

"He's got a point Raven. It is three and we haven't eaten since six this morning, I think a little food will do everyone some good," Cyborg added, joining the debate.

She looked over at Cyborg and nodded. "Fine, but let's check this last factory before we go, it is right here, so there's no sense in leaving and having to come back immediately afterwards." Everyone nodded in agreement and walked towards the T car, which Cyborg had brought with them on the plane.

The car was completely silent as the Titans drove down the street. Starfire was looking intently out of the window as if Robin was just going to walk by down the road and Raven was looking over her notes, making sure that they hadn't missed anything in the immediate area. The car slowed to a stop in front of a large building and Beast Boy jumped out of the car, eager to get this over with.

"I'll do this one," he shouted behind him as he walked. The other Titans got out of the car and stood guard, watching as he turned into a small bird and flew over the gate. The small bird then glided to the front door and transformed into a cockroach that crawled under the frame. Once inside, Beast Boy changed into his human form again and began walking around.

The factory was very dim, the windows having been covered to prevent light from coming in, and devoid of color. It smelled of dust and oil, a very familiar scent to Beast Boy. It was the same scent that he had encountered when he was in Slade's first base in Jump; the first time Robin had been his apprentice. Beast Boy had certainly never thought that he would be searching for Robin inside of one of these again… He thought it was over the first time, but then again, Slade never was one to give up… Not when he really wanted something.

He walked the perimeter of the building, looking for anything unusual or suspicious. He had wanted this so bad, had spent so much time trying to get everyone to come to New York, but now that he was here, he felt… disappointed. He felt like he was just leading everyone into another heartbreaking trap. Even though the report had obviously been Robin, who was to say that he was still even here, that they would even find him? He had spent so much time thinking of getting here, that he hadn't thought about what he would do once he got here.

The Titans shook their heads as Beast Boy walked to the gate and got in the car. "Is everyone up for hamburgers?" Cyborg asked while buckling his seat belt. Beast Boy jumped in the car and slammed the door shut.

"I don't eat meat, remember?" he said sarcastically.

"Then eat something else," Cyborg shouted back as he pulled out onto the road. Beast Boy made a 'humph' sound as he buckled his seatbelt. Once again, the car was silent as they drove, with Starfire staring out the window. Beast Boy was reading the itinerary over Raven's shoulder, disbelieving at how long the list was. _The more the better, right?_

"Gianno's burgers sound good to you?" Cyborg asked as he parallel parked on the road. They were on the outer edges of the city, though it was still crowded and busy.

"Yup," Raven said distractedly, unable to look away from her folder. Everyone got out of the car and walked into the restaurant, each equally hungry. After ordering, and arguing, they were all settled in a booth. Starfire and Cyborg were talking happily about all the possibilities of the search while Raven and Beast Boy ate in silence.

"When do we meet with the department of the police?" Starfire asked, wanting to talk to the men who had seen Robin. Cyborg was about to answer as his communicator went off, followed by everyone else's communicators. Everyone stopped eating and watched him as he read something on the screen. "Looks like there is a robbery in progress," he said resolutely, a slight nervousness in his tone. _Could this be Robin?_

"Where?" Starfire asked elatedly. She had never been so happy to hear of a reported robbery in her life.

"Get in the car, I'll take us there," he replied, standing up and throwing some money on the table for the server. All of the Titans obeyed and ran to the car, preparing for the best, and the worst.

"How did you know so quickly?" Raven asked as they all got into the car.

"I set up our communicators to receive alerts from the police scanners. We only get the important stuff," he explained as he drove off. The car was tense as he drove, each member of the team wondering with bated breath if this was it. He weaved in and out of traffic, receiving many honks and obscene gestures as he did so. It was only when he got into the inner city that he could no longer get around all the cars.

None of the Titans wanted to sit uselessly in traffic, so they all got out of the car and continued on foot. Beast Boy was running in the form of a cheetah while Raven flew above his head. Cyborg and Starfire were a short while behind, neither being able to fly or run at super speed.

Raven began to hear sirens and looked down at the green cheetah below, knowing that he could hear it too. Flashing lights shone ahead and both Titan's hearts skipped a beat as they sped towards the scene. Several police cars were parked in front of an engineering company while their owners walked around the building. Raven landed behind the police tape and approached one of the officers while Beast Boy was transforming back into human form.

"Excuse me ma'am, but this is a closed crime scene," the police officer stated officially, pushing her back towards the tape.

"And I'm here to help. Where is the thief?" she asked, pushing him off of her.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," he continued, grabbing her arms and forcing her back.

"Hey, get off of her!" Beast Boy shouted as he ran towards the two. They weren't used to this type of treatment from officers. The police in Jump knew them very well and were always eager to assist.

Starfire and Cyborg joined the scene, both short of breath. "This is a closed crime scene!" the officer shouted, obviously annoyed with all of the intruders.

"Just tell me what happened to the robber!" Beast Boy demanded.

"This is a closed-"

Starfire ran towards the man and lifted him off his feet by the shoulders, her eyes glowing green. "Tell me where he is!" she shouted dangerously. The man looked down at the three around her, not feeling good about the situation.

"He got away…" he whispered shakily. Several other cops had taken notice of the situation and started to approach the four.

"Where?! Where did he go?!" she shouted, shaking him.

"Star…" Cyborg said, looking at all the cops advancing towards them with guns in their hands.

"I-I don't know..."

She growled in frustration and Cyborg grabbed her shoulder. "Star, let go of him," he commanded. Raven was off to the side, explaining the situation to several of the officers. "Star," he repeated softly. She finally let go of the man and looked down shamefully.

"I am the sorry…." she apologized. The man took several steps backwards before running off, obviously scared by the odd group of teens. Cyborg could tell that he hadn't been an officer for long, especially with his young face.

"Okay guys, they said he is heading westbound. There was a cop tailing him, but they lost him around a quarter of a mile from here due to heavy traffic," Raven explained. Beast Boy immediately transformed into an eagle and flew up into the air, soaring west. "They said he was wearing a mask," she added as she floated up into the air, promptly following Beast Boy.

Cyborg and Starfire once again began running in the same general direction, taking alleyways and side streets for shortcuts. They could see their two teammates up ahead, but were still a short ways behind. _Perhaps it would be a good idea to invest in a motorcycle…_

Beast Boy was scanning the streets for any sudden movement while Raven was just searching for anyone in a mask. Both were becoming discouraged as the minutes passed by with no masked man in sight. He could have run into a building to hide, changed into civilian clothes, or even jumped into a getaway car in traffic… Raven stopped and floated in mid-air, looking back to see if the other two were still on her tail.

A green bird swooped past her, brushing her hair back in the breeze it created, and landed on the ground. Beast Boy was now walking down the street to meet the other two Titans.

"Anything?" Cyborg huffed as he came to a stop.

"No," Beast Boy responded in a disappointed tone. Starfire's face fell and Beast Boy began to shift his weight. "So… what now?" he asked, looking at Cyborg. Were they just going to go back to warehouse searching or were they going to question the police at the crime scene?

"Hey, you! Stop!" Raven shouted. All of the Titans turned to look at her, but only got a glimpse of her cloak as she flew around a corner. They immediately ran after her, each feeling nervous and excited at the same time.

Upon rounding the corner, they could see a small figure running down the street with Raven flying above it. Beast Boy changed into a cheetah once again so that he could gain on the perp, leaving the other two behind.

"Ugh, I hate not having the car!" Cyborg panted, running as fast as his legs would allow. Up ahead, Beast Boy was on the tail of the man who had swiftly turned a corner. With a curse, the masked man skidded to a stop, having run into a dead end. Beast Boy stopped behind him and transformed back into a human while Raven landed next to him.

"Stop right there!" Beast Boy shouted, causing Raven to glance at him from the corner of her eyes. _Did he really just say that?_ Starfire and Cyborg came around the corner and nearly slammed into their two teammates, having barely missed them by a foot. They both looked at the back of the man standing ahead of them. Starfire's heart leapt as she saw his black bodysuit, but before she could shout 'Robin', he spoke.

"So, the Titans are in New York," he said with a muffled voice as he turned around. "How… _peculiar._" Every single Titan's face fell as they looked at him.

"Red X," Raven addressed seriously.

"That's my name," he chuckled. Starfire's eyes narrowed as she remembered their last meeting with him.

"What are you doing in New York?" Raven asked, suspicious of his convenient appearance.

"What, I'm not allowed to make an honest living in the big apple?" he joked before looking down at the stolen item in his hand. "Well, maybe not so honest…"

"Are you following us?" Beast Boy interjected, eliciting a laugh out of him.

"I have been living here for a year now, if anything, you are following me!" Now that Raven thought about it, they hadn't received any calls about Red X in a while now, though they hadn't checked the alerts in a while anyways. "I assume you are here for Robin?" he guessed, getting a look of shock from the four in front of him.

"What-How? How did you?" Beast Boy started, obviously confused.

"You've seen him?" Raven asked, receiving a thankful glance from Beast Boy for finishing his question.

"Yeah, I saw him," he replied, making Starfire jump in elation. Cyborg took a step forward and Beast Boy stood still, his face full of surprise. Raven seemed to be the only one in control of herself at the moment. "You aren't going to find what you are looking for," he added, his tone serious for the first time since he started speaking.

"What do you mean?" Cyborg asked cautiously.

"He got away?!" Beast Boy shouted, completely furious. He knew this would happen!

"No, he's still here…." Red X replied. Starfire sighed in relief, her shoulders un-tensing.

"Then what do you mean?" Cyborg asked again, not liking where this was going.

"You can look for him, you may even find him, but I'm just warning you now, you may not like what you find." Everyone had a look of confusion on their faces except for Raven.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Beast Boy questioned. Red X just stood there, looking at them all from behind his mask, and Cyborg took another step forward.

"Answer the question," he commanded, making Red X smirk.

"Look, you are never going to find the Robin that you are looking for… I suggest you go back to Jump before you get hurt," he advised, helping them even though he knew they wouldn't listen to him. They at least deserved a warning.

"What? And leave Robin?! Yeah, right!" Beast Boy shouted, obviously angry that Red X was stringing them along and not giving them anything helpful.

"Robin would never hurt us," Starfire said softly, but resolutely. He would never do anything to hurt them, ever… The last time he was Slade's apprentice, it was the one thing that Slade couldn't make him do, and it would be the same this time. They were his friends, he would never harm them.

"That's not what I meant," he replied, satisfied by the response it got from the girl; she looked completely lost.

"Look, if you aren't going to help us locate Robin, then we can just arrest you now," Raven threatened.

"Ooh, feisty. I _like_ it," he purred seductively. Raven rolled her eyes, not in the mood to deal with flirty criminals at the moment.

"Just tell us where he is!" Cyborg demanded while Starfire stood there contemplating what he could have possibly meant by Robin hurting them.

"If I knew where he was, don't you think I would have told you by now?" he sneered.

"No," Raven replied. "You are a criminal, and you would probably want something in return for the information."

"Ooh, hadn't thought about that… Though as enticing as that sounds, I really don't have anything to exchange, but I would definitely accept little gift if you know what I mean," he said, once again suggestively. Raven lifted her hand towards him, threatening him with her magic. He sucked in a breath and pretended to be scared.

"If you don't know where he is, then just tell us about when you saw him," Cyborg sighed, becoming tired of his little game. They were wasting time that they could be spending looking for Robin.

"Well, I can exchange _that _knowledge for something. What do you have to offer?"

"How about you tell us where you saw him, and I won't knock your teeth out before arresting you," Raven growled.

"Wow, that really is tempting, but I think I'll just go," he said as he turned his back, looking at the brick wall behind him.

"Take one step and I will blast you," Cyborg threatened, holding his cannon up towards the criminal.

"I was wondering when you were going to start holding me captive," he chucked, turning back around with raised hands.

"Stop messing with us and just tell us about Robin!" Beast Boy commanded weakly.

"Like I said, I won't talk until I get something in return. You all can thank the lovely Raven for suggesting that." Cyborg and Beast Boy looked at Raven while Red X smiled at them all. "So, if you've got nothing to off-"

"If you tell us about Robin, I will kiss you." The three Titans turned around to look at Starfire, completely astonished that she had just said that. She distinctly remembered Red X flirting with her before and knew that he would gladly accept the offer.

"Really?" he asked, shocked. She nodded and the other Titans looked back at him in amazement as he took a deep breath, preparing to start. "Okay, well… I was… relieving this place of their merchandise… when I happened to come across him. At first I thought he was going to arrest me, but then he just looked at me," he recounted, remembering that odd blank un-Robin like face. "Then I remembered that he had went missing a while back," Starfire winced at the statement, "and realized that he was no longer a hero."

"Where was this?" Raven asked.

"Down near thirty fourth, you can look it up; it will be in the police database. So anyways, he started walking away. I thought that that was a little odd, you know, considering our _history_, so I followed him. He told me that he wasn't a hero anymore and that I should just leave him alone. He practically stabbed me when I tried to continue talking to him… Before I knew it, he was gone. Sleuthy fellow, isn't he?" he joked, even though he wasn't entirely comfortable with the new Robin. He didn't want to admit it, but he kind of scared him.

"That's it?" Raven said, unimpressed.

"What? Did you want a novel?"

She sighed and Beast Boy shot him a look of annoyance. "When did this happen?" she asked.

He thought back, trying to remember exactly how long ago this was. "I dunno, two… three weeks ago…" Raven couldn't help but of think of how long ago that was. Robin could be gone by now…

"What makes you think he's still here?" Cyborg questioned, having the same thought process as Raven.

"This kiss better be pretty damn magical for all the questions I am answering!" he declared. Raven gave him a threatening look, basically telling him to answer the question, _or else_. "Ugh… Because, he and Slade have been taking over the entire underground of the city. And considering that the city's crime boss is still alive, they can't have left yet…" he groaned.

"They are taking over the organized crime in the city? How do you know this?" Raven asked.

"Come on!" he whined. Starfire raised her glowing hand at him and he raised his one free hand in peace. "Because I live here! Being a…_specialist_…with this sort of thing, I know what goes on with the crime. The flow of drugs on the street has completely stopped and many well-known mafia workers have gone missing recently."

"And how do you know it is Robin and Slade?" Cyborg asked.

"Are you serious? How thick are you?" he patronized. Did he really need to explain how he knew? It was obvious. Robin shows up in town and all of a sudden the entire crime empire is falling apart! Not exactly a coincidence…

"Is there anything else of use that you know?" Raven asked, wanting this interview to be over.

"Other than run like hell? No." Starfire once again looked confused at his remark, not understanding why he kept warning them.

"Can I get my reward now?" he asked, winking at the confused Tameranian before him. She walked up to him and stopped a few inches away from his face, looking up at him innocently. He lifted his mask so that it sat just above his lips and prepared for a kiss. The three Titans behind were watching the scene with open mouths, disbelieving of what they were witnessing. Starfire leaned in, closing her eyes, and before Red X knew it, he was pinned to the ground face down.

"I had a feeling…" he grunted as she held him in a death grip. She motioned the others over while Raven called the police to come and pick him up. "You know? It's not nice using people like that," he said sarcastically. She tightened her grip on his wrists, causing him to grunt. "Man, you like it rough," he murmured into the ground.

"The police are on their way…" Raven said monotonously as they all watched Red X lie helplessly on the ground.

"Ha, honestly Star, I thought you were really going to do it," Beast Boy laughed.

"No, I would never!" she replied in her sweet tone.

"I'm still here you know," Red X commented, grimacing from the pain in his wrists. It only took several minutes for the police to arrive and handcuff the thief. As he was sitting in the car, about to be taken to jail, Starfire walked up to his window.

"Thank you for giving us the help," she said kindly.

"Sure, why not…. Robin wasn't _too_ bad… I kind of liked him sometimes," he chuckled. It was true, he had always respected Robin. The kid was intelligent and determined, plus he provided him with such a wonderful suit… It was a shame what he had become; it had honestly saddened him to see Robin like that.

Starfire nodded at him and walked away as the car pulled out into the street. The four Titans now stood facing each other, each extremely pleased with what just happened.

"So, Robin and Slade are taking over the city's underground crime scene… Which means we need to find out who the boss is; we find the crime boss, we find Robin," Cyborg stated. Everyone nodded in agreement. "I think we should go to the police station next and pull up all the files on robberies and missing person reports from the past month. Hopefully they will have some insight as to who the members of the mafia are that are still alive."

Everyone agreed and started walking back to the car, which was sitting abandoned on the side of the road a few miles away.

...

A few hours away from the city where the Titans currently were, was Robin, sitting in the living room of Lila and Allen's house.

"You fixed the door!" Lila shouted happily from the entryway, clearly excited that they weren't going to be having a draft for the next few days.

"Actually, Slade fixed it," he called back to her.

"Oh, well, at least we won't have any raccoons running through the house now," she joked. She was lucky to have someone to fix the door so quickly; she would have never been able to do it on her own. "Thank-" she started before cutting off. "Where is Slade?" She had come back into the room, only to notice that the man was absent.

"I think he went to the restroom," Allen replied as footsteps sounded in the hallway. Slade came around the corner and eyed Robin intently.

"Robin, I need to speak with you," he grunted. Lila and Allen both looked at the boy as he stood up and walked to meet his 'uncle'.

"Really obedient kid," Allen commented after the two were out of sight. Robin walked through the doorway of the study and turned around to face his master.

"We need to leave," Slade said as he closed the door and rounded on Robin. "We have been here too long now and you are almost fully healed." Robin looked blankly back at him.

"Is there something that we need to do?" Robin asked, not remembering anything on the agenda for today.

"While you were having your little coma, I was busy cleaning up the mess we made." Robin didn't seem to be offended that Slade was blaming him for getting shot, he pretty much expected it. "It won't be long before Victor notices that all of his men are missing, we need to move fast. Not to mention the other problem we need to take care of… and _soon_," he explained.

"When do we leave?" Robin asked monotonously.

"Now," Slade replied before walking over to the wall and throwing a bag at Robin. "Change," he commanded.

…

"Here we are," Cyborg stated as the four Titans stopped on the steps of the local police department. "Okay, so to make things easier, I am going to split us up and give us all different tasks. This way we finish quicker. We can discuss everything we learn later tonight." The other Titans agreed and waited for further instruction.

"Beast Boy, I want you to talk to the police who were on duty the night that Neuro Link Inc. was robbed. Get the full description of the attacker: clothing, speech, mannerisms, etc." Beast Boy nodded and Starfire huffed, having wanted to be the person to talk to the police that had met Robin.

Cyborg turned to Raven, "Raven, I want you to look through the database and find any and all missing person reports from the last month, as well as robberies." He finally turned to Starfire, "And Starfire, you and I are going to talk to the investigative team that works on organized crime," he explained.

All of the Titans nodded and set off to their various tasks, eager to find anything that could help. Raven immediately walked to the filing room, after getting permission to do so, and started searching through this month's records on the computer. Cyborg and Starfire spent a half hour waiting for someone to be available before getting to speak about the city's crime and Beast Boy was sent to a completely separate building to meet with one of the witnesses on the night of the theft.

"Excuse me, are you Clark?" he asked the man sitting at the desk in front of him.

"Are you Beast Boy?" he asked, pronouncing it oddly since he had never heard of such an unusual name before.

"Er, yeah…"  
"Then yes, I am Clark." The man stood up to shake Beast Boy's hand and quite honestly ended up terrifying him. He was around six and a half feet tall, extremely built, and extremely threatening looking. If he had been a criminal, Beast Boy would have considered running the other way. "They said you would be coming…" he commented as he sat back down.

"Yeah, well… I just had some questions for you…" Beast Boy said nervously, not used to doing interrogations on his own.

"Am I under arrest?" the man asked seriously, leaning forward on his desk.

"Uh-Um… Uh…"

"I'm just kidding! Jeez kid, relax! Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. "So, what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"I was told that you were one of the officers on the scene of the bio-tech company attack," he replied as he sat down in the chair. "I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about the attacker." Beast Boy was fiddling with his thumbs on the desk, which Clark had taken notice of.

"Why is it that you want to know? The person that called me never said anything about that…" He wasn't about ready to give case details to someone who wasn't credible, especially someone green.

"You see, me and my friends, my teammates, have flown all the way out here from California to try and find our friend."

"And what does that have to do with this case?" he asked, staring at the boy's twitching fingers.

"We think that… it _may_ be him…" he mumbled, emphasizing the word 'may'. Clark sat back in his chair with his arms resting behind his head.

"So, you are telling me that you think your friend is our perp? And you want us to help you find him so that, what, you can take him home or something?" he asked incredulously.

"Erm… Yes…"

"Exactly who did you say you were again?" he asked, leaning in to examine the boy's face.

"Um, Beast Boy, sir. I am a member of the Teen Titans," he explained nervously.

"The Teen Titans? The vigilante group from California? I've heard of you guys… And who exactly is it that you are looking for?"

"Our leader, Robin…" he replied, looking down at the desk as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Robin? As in Batman's Robin?" Clark asked, receiving a nod from the boy. Of course Clark knew who Robin was; anyone in the vicinity of Gotham knew who he was.

"He hasn't been with Batman for a long time though…."

"And he is missing?" This really was news for the man as he hadn't heard anything about it recently.

"Yes, for almost two years now…"

_Two years?! _"Wait, isn't he a hero?" he asked, clearly confused as things were not adding up.

"It's a long story, but I think that he might have been the one to rob that company. If you could just describe the dude so that I can tell if it is him or not." Clark eyed Beast Boy, still not understanding how it seemed that he thought his hero leader was a robber.

"Fine, but after I tell you, please explain to me how it is you think your leader is the culprit." Beast Boy nodded in agreement and the man began. "I received the call while on patrol and showed up at the building relatively later than everyone else. By the time I got there, he was already on the run and was loose in the building. I was in the stairwell when I saw him jumping from level to level, he was extremely agile." Beast Boy pulled out a small note pad and began scribbling as fast as he could on his paper.

"I managed to catch up with him near the bottom and had him cornered. He stood there, completely at ease, as fifteen guards surrounded him. I don't know what it was, but something about him gave all the other officers the creeps… Something was off with him…" Beast Boy furrowed his brow as he wrote that, wondering what it could mean.

"Anyways, I assume you want the standard description... He was on the shorter side, probably around five foot six or seven and was very lean. I'd say about one hundred and ten or twenty pounds, but pure muscle. He was wearing a full body suit, like a unitard or something, that was solid black. There was a large orange S across the torso, from the right shoulder down to the left thigh. He was also wearing a black and white mask that edged along his jawline towards the bottom… Um, oh and he had short black hair." Clark watched as Beast Boy wrote all of that down in a hurry, waiting until he finished to continue.

"I was about to arrest him when he pulled out what I thought was a grenade and threw it at me. Next thing I knew, I was waking up on the floor, handcuffed to the hand rail with my own damn cuffs. The kid had gotten away," he finished, remembering the embarrassment of being found like that.

"And how old do you think he was?"

"Young. Probably nineteen or twenty." Beast Boy nodded and wrote that down.

"And erm… what was that Cyborg wanted me to ask about?" he murmured to himself, trying to think back. "Oh, yeah, mannerisms!" he shouted, getting several looks from the other officers in the room.

"Mannerisms?" Clark repeated.

"Yeah, like, you know, mannerisms… Did he have any?" Beast Boy asked lamely. Perhaps he wasn't cut out for a career as a detective after all…

"I-I'm not quite sure what you mean, but I can tell you about what I observed behavior-wise." Beast Boy lifted up his notepad, waiting for him to start talking. "Like I said before, he was very confident. He looked like he was strolling in a park, rather than in front of a bunch of cops with guns… He had a very good poker face, extremely un-telling, best I've ever seen. He also had an odd smirk, very unnatural… Otherwise, there wasn't much else… He stood very still…" he said, trying to think back to find anything else of use. "That's about it…"

Beast Boy finished writing and smiled at the man, grateful for his help. "So, do you think it's him?" Clark asked.

"I'm not quite certain…" Beast Boy lied. He knew that this was Robin, despite the weird description. With Red X's testimony and the 'S' suit, it had to be Robin. He just didn't want the police to know, because then they would be on him. Although having them as an aid in the search may sound good from the outside, it would only be harmful in the end. When they did manage to save Robin, the police would want him, not only for theft, but also for destruction of property. It would just be best if they kept that to themselves, that way they could take Robin home without a fuss.

"Thank you for all of your help!" Beast Boy said as he stood up, preparing to leave.

"You didn't tell me about what happened to your friend," Clark replied, also standing up.

"You know, I don't really think it was him, I just thought that maybe it was because it fit his age range… I guess I was wrong, but thanks anyways!" he shouted back as he walked swiftly to the door. If he told the man that Robin was kidnapped by a deranged criminal and forced into submission, then he would definitely put them on his tail. The Titans didn't need any legal complications any time soon.

Beast Boy shut the door behind him and started running down the street to the main building where his friends were, looking back to see if the man was following him.

…

Robin was now changing back into his uniform, feeling rather uncomfortable after having worn loose clothes for a few days. Slade was busy shoving stuff into a bag while Robin folded the clothes and put them neatly on the bed for Lila. He also stripped the sheets and folded them for her, so that she could clean them easily later on.

Out in the living room, Lila and Allen were sitting on the couch and talking. "It is nice having company," she commented.

"You know? It actually is, I could get used to having them around," Allen replied. He had rather enjoyed talking to Slade earlier today. Slade was the type of guy that he could have a couple beers with.

"Yeah, and I was think-" she started before cutting off at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Slade walked into the living room, his duffle bag in hand, with Robin tailing along behind him robotically. "You…You- You're leaving?" she asked in a sad tone, taking notice of the bag in his hand. And she was just beginning to form a connection with Robin…

"We have work to do, we've been gone too long now," Slade replied.

"Oh…" she said gloomily. She had really enjoyed having a young boy in the house again. Honestly, Robin reminded her of her son Kevin. They were both very rigid and quiet, and neither of them seemed to like opening up to anyone. Not to mention that Robin looked like a shorter version of Kevin with his black hair and blue eyes. Although she didn't know it, the whole reason that she so badly wanted to connect with Robin was because she was substituting him for her absent son.

"You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?" Allen asked, standing up.

"No, we really need to get going. I would like to be home by nighttime." Lila stood silently next to her husband who looked slightly sullen himself. He had rather enjoyed having a man to talk to about man stuff. Now he would have to go back to silence with his wife.

"Okay, well do you need anything for the road?" Lila asked, looking around for something to offer them.

"No, we are fine, everything you have done is enough," Slade replied, beckoning for Robin to follow him as he walked towards the entryway. Lila and Allen followed them and they all stood in front of the door, looking at each other.

"Hey, you have a good one," Allen said, trying not to sound sad about it as he shook Slade's hand.

"You too," Slade replied, nodding at the man before him. Lila looked at Robin, her eyes soft. She pulled him into a hug which he didn't really know how to return. He just stood there, oddly patting her back.

"You are a wonderful kid, Robin. I really hope that you can visit us sometime in the future, we would love to have you both," she said, pulling him out of the hug. Robin nodded and she kept her hands on his upper arms. "Have a great life, son," she choked out.

Allen and Slade were both watching the scene awkwardly, neither feeling particularly comfortable about it. Robin nodded his head and put his hand on hers before she let go of him.

"Really though, anytime that you are near, feel free to stop by!" Allen said, shaking Robin's and Slade's hands one more time. "And good luck with the business!" he smiled.

"We will and thank you," Slade replied. If it hadn't been for these two people, Robin would probably be dead, and for that, he was eternally grateful. Though he could never express his gratitude to them; he wasn't a sentimental being.

Allen opened the door and Slade stepped outside after Robin. He dug into his bag and pulled out two masks, handing one to his apprentice. The couple watched from the door as Slade snapped his in place and Robin worked on the adhesive peel.

"And thank you for helping me save Robin," he said, causing Robin to stop working on his mask and look up. Lila and Allen both smiled at the two, happy to have helped.

"We'd do it again," Lila stated resolutely.

"Good," he replied tonelessly. Before either of them could process what he had just said, his arm shot up and two _bangs _sounded. Robin watched as both of them fell to the floor with heavy thuds. The couple that had loved him and taken care of him, now lying on the ground in a pool of their own blood_. _He looked down at Lila, his blue eyes returning to their original state of complete emptiness, as a familiar numbness crept upon him.

* * *

Yeah, so the celebration is over... R.I.P Allen and Lila. I must admit, it was very hard for me to kill them. I was very fond of them... Anyways, please review, because I love reading about what you think!


	16. Outsourced

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Wow! I got so many reviews on the last chapter! Plus, I got the most visitors that I have ever gotten on an update ever... I am so happy! And I would have had this chapter ready earlier, but I have had some serious editor's block... It's been sitting there, waiting to be edited, but I couldn't seem to be able to do it for some reason... I'm back on track now, so here it is!

* * *

-New York-

"Friends?" Everyone at the table looked up at Starfire upon hearing her voice.

"Yeah Star?" Cyborg replied, putting his fork down on his plate. They were all eating at a small dinner table inside the living quarters of their plane. Beast Boy was still eating a tofu chicken thigh ravenously, barely looking up at his teammates.

"I was wondering… What is it that the Red X meant by his 'warnings'?" she asked, still confused from what Red X had said earlier. She really wanted one of the others to clear it up for her so that she could sleep tonight.

"Um…" Cyborg mumbled, trying to think of what he could say that wouldn't worry her. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer with an eager expression on her face.

"I don't think he meant anything by it… He was just trying to confuse us so that he could get away," Raven explained, sounding confident in her answer.

"But, he said to leave before we become injured. What did he mean?" She sounded genuinely worried and Beast Boy looked up at her, his mouth full of food.

"You mean when he said 'go back to Jump before you get hurt'?" he asked in a garbled mumble, still chewing his tofu. Starfire nodded and Raven gave Beast Boy a disgusted look, clearly displeased with his table manners.

"It's nothing Star, like Raven said, he was just trying to psych us out…" Cyborg said.

"Yeah! It's Red X after all; do you honestly even care what he has to say?" Beast Boy pointed out after swallowing.

"So you do not think that Robin will harm us?" she asked doubtingly.

"What? No! Of course not! He would never hurt us!" Beast Boy declared confidently. There was no way that Robin would ever really hurt them. He might act in front Slade, but he would never truly go after them!

Starfire nodded in acknowledgment, feeling a lot better now, and finished off the rest of her food. After a few more minutes of the Titans eating the remainder of their dinner, they sat back contentedly in their chairs.

"Okay, how about we talk about our research from earlier today?" Cyborg declared as he sat back in his chair and patted his stomach.

"Sounds good man," Beast Boy replied, shifting in his seat with a groan. Starfire swooped all of the dishes into her arms and walked to the plane's small kitchen. A giant clash sounded from the dishes being dropped into the sink and Cyborg stood up to start laying a map and a pile of documents on the table where the food had just been.

"Sorry guys, but everything we got is on paper," Cyborg stated, looking down at the massive pile of files. They normally did this kind of thing electronically, but the police station had given them written documents instead.

"Let's just get started," Raven said monotonously as Starfire took her spot back at the table.

"Okay, so BB, you go first. What did you learn about the crime scene?" Cyborg asked. Beast Boy promptly pulled out his notes, ripping one of the papers as he did so, and started to flip through them.

"Well, I met with this dude, Clark Evans… He pretty much repeated what the report said… It's obviously Robin; short, black hair, Slade uniform… The only thing that the guy said that wasn't in the report was that he freaked the guards out." Beast Boy's eyes squinted as he continued to attempt to read his own writing.

"What do you mean he 'freaked the guards out'?" Raven asked.

"The guy said he was too calm and that… his smirk was odd," he read, quoting the man. Starfire's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and Cyborg just made a sound of acknowledgment. What was he supposed to do with that?

"Anything else?" she asked. Beast Boy shook his head and looked down shamefully. He really hadn't gotten anything useful, except for the fact that it was definitely Robin.

"Uh, okay then. How about you, Raven?" Cyborg said, turning to his other teammate.

"I managed to find the robbery that Red X was talking about, but it didn't say anything important. It is right there if you want to read it though," she said, pointing towards a small file. "I did however manage to find quite a few missing person reports, perhaps too many… So, I took those and condensed them down based on criminal records, which left me with that pile there." Everyone looked over to the tall pile that she was pointing at, none of them particularly excited at the prospect of looking through them in the near future. "I figure we can cross check those with the names of known mobsters to see who is missing that is of interest," she finished. Beast Boy looked impressed, she had done a lot with her task. Now he felt even more embarrassed about the results of his job.

"That's great!" Cyborg expressed. "We actually got a list right here." He pulled out a small notepad with several pages of names on it. "It's kinda long, I know, but it is of anyone even known to associate with the mafia. It goes from top to bottom, most important to least important." Everyone except Starfire looked at the page with interest.

"Yes, and we found the boss of the crime!" she exclaimed, proud of their work. This was one large step closer to Robin.

"Yeah, Victor Wyatte," Cyborg added. "Real nasty dude; known to have killed at least a dozen people. The only reason he isn't in prison right now is because he is buddies with some of the cops. He practically owns them… Lucky for us, the man we were talking to wasn't too afraid to tell us who he was." Cyborg pulled out a large file, "This is everything they have on him: name, address, buildings owned, etc. With this, we can find him! And once we find him, all we have to do is wait until Robin and Slade show up!" Starfire smiled excitedly, causing Beast Boy to smile in return. He may have had his doubts earlier today, but now, he was certain. They were finally going to save Robin!

"And the names near the top?" Raven asked.

"His workers," Cyborg explained. "From here," he pointed, sliding his finger down the list, "to here, is his main group. This one here, Joseph Nyenne, is his right hand man. I would like to see if he is missing or if they are still together right now. If Joseph is still here, then we most likely have some time."

Raven pulled some of the missing person files over and grabbed the list. "I say we start checking through these so that we know how long we have until Slade strikes. After that, we should get some rest so that we can start tailing Victor tomorrow morning." Everyone nodded in conjecture and grabbed a small pile of the files, going through each one to see if anyone matched the list.

…

A short while away, in a small inner city apartment, sat a woman. She was lying on the couch, watching TV with a bag of potato chips in her hands. The large flat screen displayed the local news, showing footage from a robbery earlier that day.

"_Just as the police were losing hope of catching the culprit, a superhero group from Jump City, California appeared. Under the name 'Teen Titans', they managed to track and arrest the criminal, who was later identified as a commonly known thief named 'Red X', also from Jump City. It is unclear as to why the Titans are in New York, but one thing is certain, we are really glad they were here to save the day!" _the woman on the screen said enthusiastically, causing the woman on the couch to snort.

"Ha! Yeah, real fuckin' heroic!" she chuckled, choking on a chip. "Catching that pathetic thief… Hey! What? Where are-" she mumbled as she rummaged through the bag. There was nothing but crumbs left, surprising her a great deal considering that she had just opened the bag. "I should really lay off the chips…"

She stood up and crumbled the bag into a small ball, throwing it into a nearby trashcan before walking into the bathroom. The apartment became silent except for the sounds of the shower running and the TV playing softly.

"_Thanks Tim, and now, more on the sudden appearance of the hero group in our own backyard. Let's talk some more about the four members of the 'Teen Titans'! First on the list is Beast Boy: the green teen that can change into any animal he chooses!" _A picture of Beast Boy flashed onto the screen, along with a short paragraph describing his powers. "_Raven: the dark sorceress that can conjure magic!"_ Beast Boy was now replaced with a picture of Raven, her face hidden by her cloak. "_Cyborg: the half-man, half-machine, that can blast you away with his sonic cannon! And last, but not least, Starfire: the beautiful alien with deadly green bolts of energy!" _A picture of her replaced Cyborg on the screen before switching back to the news reporter.

"_This is some exciting stuff! Although we aren't unfamiliar with the concept of superheroes, with Batman in Gotham and all, it is still wonderful to receive a visit from such inspirational individuals! What do you think Tim?" _The camera switched over from the overly excited woman to an equally fake man.

"_It is indeed Sherry! But one thing I have to wonder, what ever happened to their leader? The young boy wonder, Robin? It seems that he just up and disappeared."_

"_I don't know Tim, perhaps he decided to exchange his mask and cape for a suit and tie. It wouldn't be the first time a hero decided to live a normal life, maybe he was just tired of being so heroic all the time," _she said smiling, receiving a nauseating laugh from her co-reporter.

"_Well, wherever he is, we wish him good luck! Next, how does one become a superhero? Find out after-" _The program stopped suddenly, seemingly stuck on pause.

The woman walked out of the bathroom, squeezing her hair in a towel as she approached the kitchen. She pulled out a carton of milk from her fridge and poured it into a glass before walking into the living room. "Oh, come on! Of all the-" she grunted, picking of the remote from the couch to un-pause the TV. On the screen was a picture of the former leader of the Teen Titans, young and happy. _Odd that it stopped there…._

She turned off the TV, not having been able to get it to continue, and strolled back into the bathroom to throw the towel on the floor. "Really have nothing better to talk about on the damn news?" she mumbled as she shuffled down the hallway. She stopped in her tracks, looking into the living room where the TV was back on, still stuck on the picture of Robin.

She pulled a painting off the wall and typed in the combination code to the safe. Inside were large stacks of money and a shiny, silver hand gun. She took the gun, leaving the safe open, and walked into the living room, holding it at chest level. On the counter was her glass of milk, now empty. "Shit," she whispered, turning abruptly once she rounded a corner.

"So, the Titans are in town," a deep voice said from the corner of the room. She turned around to find the source and narrowed her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly, her voice unwavering.

"Sorry I'm so late, but there was an unexpected…_problem…_"the voice drawled. The woman stood tall and held her ground, keeping the gun aimed at the figure across from her.

"I don't seem to recall inviting you over, Slade," she retorted.

"Perhaps not… Are you going to hold that gun the entire time? Your arm must be getting_ very _tired." She looked at his mask, debating her next move.

"My arm is fine. What are you doing here?" Of course, she already knew the answer to that.

"As you know, I have a reputation for being _thorough…_ I don't leave loose ends," he explained, taking a step forward. She was now thanking the heavens that she put on a uniform after taking her shower; otherwise she would have had to fight him in a towel.

"So, what? I'm a loose end now?" she asked, faking sounding hurt about it. Slade smirked under his mask and took another step towards her. "You see me as a threat!" she snickered disbelievingly, laughing at the prospect.

"Not so much of a threat as an annoyance." She smirked at him and moved into the kitchen, letting the small pony wall separate them.

"So, you kill my brother, then you come to kill me? What? Did you think I was going to come after you? I'm not an idiot, Slade." It was true, she had decided against seeking revenge a week ago out of self-preservation.

"Loose ends," he repeated matter-of-factly, taking another step towards her. "You do know that the entire mafia has a hit on you now," he said casually, talking to her as if he was there for a friendly visit. "They seem to think that it is you that is taking out their drug empire." He picked up a small snow globe from the counter and examined it, smiling slightly at how oddly things worked out for him.

"Ironic, they put a hit out on me for something you did, so you come here and complete it for them?!" she laughed.

"I never said life was fair," he replied, putting the globe back onto the counter. "Nor death." An evil glint shone in his eye and she lowered her gun.

"Where is Robin? He finally run away?" she retorted, noticing that he was alone. Slade didn't answer, but merely stood watching her loosen the grip on her gun. "I never understood why you took that poor boy. He wasn't cut out for this business…"

"On the contrary, he is doing quite well. He was born for this," Slade responded. "I will admit, it took some _persuading…" _As he was talking, she slipped her hand under the counter. Within a moment, several knives flew straight towards Slade's face, but he blocked them all with his arm guard with ease. He had barely even moved and stood nonchalantly, looking at her with curiosity.

"Ah, Yvette… Do you honestly think that you can catch me off guard? And after our history, I would think you would have known better," he condescended.

"Had to at least try." She lifted her gun back up and Slade pulled the knives out of his uniform, placing them neatly on the counter.

"As nice as it has been catching up with you, I do believe that I should get moving. Lot's to do and now that the Titans are in town, the timeline has just been shortened," he explained as he pulled out a gun. Yvette looked at the large handgun, knowing that it was superior to the backup that she was carrying. If only she could get to the office, then she could get the real weapons.

As he cocked the gun, she picked up the globe and threw it at him, running towards the hall immediately afterwards. He dodged it, causing it to hit the wall behind him and shatter loudly. He lifted the gun up and aimed, but she rounded the corner, making his weapon useless. With a grunt, he shoved it back into its holster and pulled out his bo-staff.

At least with the bo-staff, he wouldn't be making a bunch of noise. They didn't need nosy neighbors calling the cops on them, not that they would anyways since they were so scared of her. He ran down the hall and slammed through the office door, only to be met by a sight that made him smirk. There she was, standing in the middle of the room, covered in weapons. The most notable was the large sword in her hand, which she held lazily so that it dragged on the ground.

"I'm not going down without a fight, Slade."

"I would expect nothing less," he replied, running towards her with his staff.

The next few minutes were the beginning of an all-out war; the battle between the two most experienced and well trained assassins out there. With every swipe, punch, and kick, came an equally brilliant counter attack. It was like an elegant dance, but with weapons and blood.

Yvette had managed to land several hits, which had actually somewhat hindered Slade. He of course managed to reciprocate with an equal amount of hits, as he knew her fighting style quite well. The fact that they both could predict each other to a certain amount had greatly increased the amount of time that they fought.

Weapons were lying everywhere on the floor. Everything from bombs, to knives, to guns, to high powered tasers. Her office was quite literally a massive storage room; she liked to get creative with her kills, therefore she had a great stock of weapons. At one point, Slade had even found an axe to throw at her, which was now stuck to the back wall.

Neither seemed to be out of breath as time dragged on. Light was now streaming into the room from the hallway as the sun began to rise, but neither stopped for even a moment. Slade was actually rather enjoying the fight. It was nice to have a real challenge now and then. Robin never really fought back anymore, so he had been lacking some serious training lately.

To Slade, this was a game, and a really difficult one at that. To Yvette, this was a fight for her right to live. She knew that this was a life or death situation, but that didn't stop her from enjoying it.

"Come on Slade, is that all you got? Have you been getting a little lazy since you have a ward to do all the work for you now?" she teased, getting a growl from the man. He lunged towards her and grabbed her neck, forcing her back into the wall. As he pushed his hands into her throat, she circled her arms around his and shoved them down. He was forced to let go and she dropped to the ground, grabbing a staff and knocking him in the back of the knees with it.

He used the forward momentum to flip onto his hands and kick off of the wall, receiving a smile from Yvette. He had always been the best at flips whereas she was always more of a ground person. She did her best with solid planted feet; he did his best when in the air… After landing gracefully, he pulled the axe out of the wall and ran towards her.

He brought the blade down and she caught it with the staff, deflecting it off to the right. The two then continued taking turns attacking and blocking each other. After several minutes of loud clinks from the axe hitting the staff, she managed to finally dislodge it from his hands, sending it flying into the desk with a thud.

She then kicked him square in the chest, sending him stumbling back as she ran out of the room. He pushed himself forward with his hands, promptly following her into the front of the apartment. Upon arriving in the living room, he saw that the door was wide open. The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard from above as he exited the apartment. She was running up the metal stairs, heading for the roof.

Going down would mean ending up in the street and causing a massive scene that would most likely end in dozens of deaths, so she decided to go for the roof instead. Once there, she would only have to make it to the rooftop of the bakery down the street where she could climb down the fire escape and blend into the foot traffic… that was at least what she hoped...

Slade began climbing the stairs and was now only one flight below Yvette. The door to the roof slammed against the wall as she burst through it. She made it about halfway across the rooftop before Slade came through the door, swiftly following her at a sprint. The sun was just above the horizon, though it was still slightly dim outside, and she could feel the chilly air stinging her face.

Yvette landed on the next roof with a crunch and slid across the gravel before standing back up and continuing to run. She felt something brush against her back and skidded to a stop before turning around. Slade had just landed on the roof and seeing her stopped, stood still.

"Are you really going to kill me Slade? After all that we have been through?" she asked, looking at the man standing a few yards away. She didn't honestly believe it; she felt like this was more of a friendly warning.

"No," he replied, walking towards her slowly. _Knew it!_ She cocked her head to the side and continued to stand her ground, not moving back as he approached her. "Robin is."

She saw something move towards the corner of the building and turned her head to see what it was. Robin was crouching near the edge of the roof, a small leather pouch in his hand.

"Ah, Robin, I was wondering when you were going to pop up," she sighed, not at all sounding betrayed by Slade's previous statement. Robin continued to watch her with a blank expression, not moving an inch. "It's a shame to be meeting you under such circumstances. Is it true that you are the famed 'shadow assassin'?" she asked, talking to him like he was a child.

"I believe that the term 'shadow assassin' is used for any job that has not been claimed under the name of a gun for hire," Slade commented. "Though of course, Robin accounts for a large portion of those." She laughed at Slade's clever explanation; she didn't actually expect an answer.

"So, you are a murderer now, just like the rest of us?" she asked, examining his face. "Doesn't seem like it…" She looked at Slade, speaking to him like he was an old friend.

"Take off your mask, Robin," Slade commanded. Robin obeyed without question and pulled off his mask. Yvette looked slightly confused until she saw his eyes.

"Oh," she whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. Man, Slade really _fucked _this kid up. Though she had always respected and admired Slade, she never approved of his kidnapping and manipulating young teens. She may not have many morals, but that just didn't seem right to her.

What had he done to Robin to make him like this? From what she had seen previously on television, he always seemed to be pretty strong willed. How Slade had managed to break him to such a point, she had no idea. She wasn't entirely sure that she even wanted to know… She looked back to the teen, almost feeling pity for him. Slade really managed to push the limits of his level of evil with this one.

"Ungh-" Robin stood up, looking at the woman clutching at her ribs. Slade pulled the knife out of her back and walked towards Robin. The bloody blade dropped to the ground in a clatter before settling and she swiftly grabbed the nearest weapon on her.

"Stabbing me in the back? That was just plain dirty," she choked out, her breath rattling slightly. "But know this, even wounded, I am just as deadly," she commented, standing up straight despite the pain.

"I know that," Slade replied nonchalantly. "Which is why I came prepared." Robin stood still next to his master, awaiting his command. "You see, Robin here has darts laced with a very special something." Yvette took a step forward, aiming the gun at the two.

"I'm immune to all poisons, you should know that!" she retorted, clearly pleased that he had made such a mistake. "And he missed me if you don't recall." She looked at the small pouch of darts in Robin's hand, noticing the empty slot next to the small bottle.

"Yes, I am aware that you are immune to _most _poisons," he drawled, standing with his hands held behind his back. "Although, this is not a poison." Robin tilted his head to the side, never breaking eye contact with Yvette. In all the years that she had been in the business, she had never seen anyone like him. She had seen the criminally insane, the ones haunted by guilt, even the psychopathic ones who killed purely for fun, but she had never seen one like him before. Guess that is what happens when you are forced into the career…

"Have you ever heard of a company called Neuro Link Inc.?" he asked, standing tall with his behind his back.

"The bio-tech company? Yeah, the fucking headquarters is right down the street, Slade," she mocked. Slade narrowed his eye; he really hated being talked to like that.

"They were working on a new serum, a neural inhibitor of some sorts; top secret government work-"

"And you were the one that stole it?" she concluded, saying it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. No wonder they covered up the theft and passed it off as an attack. Secret bio-weapons weren't exactly supposed to be public knowledge.

"Just for you…" he purred.

"Wow, I'm flattered. But, I'm not going to just stand here and get tainted with your brain serum," she replied, eyeing Robin's hands, observing the green phial more closely.

"Oh, and Yvette?" Slade asked.

"What?!" She was really getting agitated with his games now. It had been fine when he used them on other people, but she hated being toyed around with.

"Robin never misses." She blinked and looked down at her shoulder; the spot that she had felt something brush by had a small, metal object in it. Upon pulling it out, she noticed that it was a tiny, featherless dart. Slade put his hand on Robin's shoulder and the boy looked up at him, receiving a nod to continue. He took several steps forward, approaching the now panicking woman.

"Pretty soon you are going to start feeling faint as your brain begins to shut down. After that, your body will stop functioning and you will lose all control over yourself. It will only be a matter of time before you die from suffocation," he explained as Robin gained on the woman, forcing her to back up.

She pulled the trigger of her gun, shooting at Robin with all of her rounds. Slade made a move towards him, but stopped as Robin dodged every single bullet. He was grateful that Robin hadn't seen him...

Just as Slade had said, her vision started to become blurred as if she was drunk. Every movement that she saw slurred and Robin, taking advantage of this, made a move to grab her gun. With all of the strength she had left, she swiped the end of the gun towards his head. A deafening crunch sounded as he was knocked to the ground.

Slade stood still, not moving to help Robin whatsoever. This was his kill… He couldn't baby the boy... Yvette started to run, trying to get to the next roof, while Robin stood up and wiped the blood off of his face. Without so much as a glance towards Slade, he began to sprint after her.

Her arms were beginning to tingle and her fingertips went numb. She made to jump to the next roof when a firm grip pulled her back. Robin wrapped his arm around her neck and began to walk backwards, pulling her with him. Her hands flew back to his face and she pushed her fingers into his mask, attempting to blind him. With his other arm, he pulled out a dagger and thrust it into one of her biceps.

She gritted her teeth and grunted quietly in pain while Robin continued to drag her like a ragdoll. She tried to use her feet to push off of the ground to stand, but she couldn't seem to get a solid grip.

Once at the front of the roof, Robin dropped her onto the ground and pushed his foot into her back, keeping her face down. He pulled the dagger out of her arm, making a sickening suctioning sound.

She could barely feel the blade as her arms were almost completely numb. Breathing was also becoming harder as she had to consciously think about it. Robin took his foot off of her and placed it on the ground so that he was standing directly over her. She felt her hair being pulled and was forced to lean her head back as far as it would go without snapping. She felt warm blood drip down her neck as he pushed the same dagger that had been in her arm against her throat.

Using all the effort she could muster, she reached into her pockets. Just as Robin was about to slit her neck, she pulled out a small wooden staff and slammed it down onto his foot. He loosened his grip on her hair and pulled the blade back slightly, which she used to her advantage.

She quickly grabbed his arm, causing him to drop the knife, and flipped onto her back. He was now leaning over her, being tugged down by her arms while trying to pull out of her grip, which was what she had been counting on. She pulled her knees into her chest and kicked him as hard as she could in the stomach while at the same time letting go of his arm.

He flew backwards and landed on his spine while she scrambled up. She could feel the sting where he had pressed the knife into her neck and started to back up. Slade was still watching the whole thing from the edge of the roof, not at all concerned about the outcome of the mission despite his recent bad experience. She was nice and drugged up now; there was no way she could pose a threat to Robin...

Everything was starting to spin and she continued to take steps backwards, trying to find her sense of balance. Robin walked towards her, the blade back in his hand, with a look of annoyance on his face. He, unlike Slade, did not appreciate the challenge. He just wanted this to be over with.

He stopped suddenly, watching as she stumbled. She felt something hit her heel and turned around to see what it was, unable to stop herself from tripping over the edge of the roof. With a scream, she tumbled backwards, only managing to grab the edge at the last moment.

She could see Robin's feet as he stepped towards her and crouched down to look at her face. The arm which had been impaled was beginning to shake and eventually gave out under the pressure. She was now hanging by one hand, unable to swing her other arm back up to grip the ground since she could no longer control it. She looked up into his face and he smiled slightly at her, sending her head reeling.

He lifted his hand up and brought it down with all of his might, sending the dagger straight through her hand and into the ground. She screamed loudly and flailed as she was now hanging only by the knife. Robin leaned in and looked into her eyes, making her really feel the betrayal. Sure, this _was _Slade's job and no one was technically off limits, but she couldn't help but feel angry about it. She never expected her death to be because of him, and she certainly didn't expect him to outsource it to his _apprentice!_ She at least deserved to die at his own hands!

Her eyes narrowed and Robin leaned away from her, pulling the knife out abruptly. She gasped as her fingers attempted to grasp the gravel, breaking several fingernails in the attempt. He watched as she plummeted down several stories to the streets below, only stepping away when she hit the ground.

He stood still, looking out at the horizon, while Slade walked over to him. He leaned over Robin and looked down at the ground below.

"Quite a scene," Slade commented, watching as people started screaming and scrambling around the body. He hadn't expected Robin to throw her off the roof; that was certainly going to make the news… It didn't really matter anyways since the Titans had already tracked them. Something about New York was just not fairing them well…

"Robin-" he started sternly, turning to look at the boy, but cut off upon seeing that his apprentice wasn't there. He turned around to scan the roof, but Robin was gone. "Damn it!" Slade growled angrily, picking up the bloody knife from the ground before leaving.

…

"Aargh! Turn it off!" Beast Boy moaned from his bed. A loud, rather annoying beeping had woken him up. Cyborg groaned and reached for the table next to his bed, trying to find his communicator. After knocking over several items, he finally grabbed the beeping device. He pried his eyes open and attempted to read the screen, his vision blurry from having just woken up.

"BB! Get up!" he shouted, crawling out of his bed and searching for the keys to the T-car. Beast Boy grunted and turned around, pulling his sheets up to his ears and attempting to fall back asleep. "Yo! Get up!" Cyborg shouted, louder than before. He was on his hands and knees, searching for the keys that he had knocked over. Beast Boy flipped over angrily, trying to go back to sleep, and ended up falling off of his mattress. He landed on Cyborg, whose bed was directly below his, and knocked him onto his stomach.

"Get off of me," Cyborg grunted, throwing his teammate onto the floor next to him. While lying on the ground, he spotted the keys under the bunk bed and grabbed them.

"What is it?!" Beast Boy asked agitatedly. They had just gone to bed a few hours ago after finally finishing with the files. He was in no mood to be doing anything any time soon.

"Just got an alert! Unidentified death in the inner city," Cyborg explained, running out of the room as he did so. Beast Boy followed him down the hallway, now more alert and ready to listen. Inside the main cabin, Raven was standing and yawning, clearly tired by the look of the dark circles under her eyes.

"What is it Cyborg?" she asked. All the crashing and shouting had woken her up, though Starfire was still asleep.

"Unidentified body in the city!" he repeated. She perked up and quickly ran into the girl's bedroom to wake up Starfire. Beast Boy walked up to Cyborg and grabbed his arm.

"Do you think it's-"

"I don't know… but if it is, we have to move fast," Cyborg stated. Beast Boy nodded in comprehension, knowing that if it was Victor, then Robin would be gone soon. A surprisingly alert, yet tired looking Starfire rushed out of the hallway with Raven on her tail.

"It is Robin?" she asked, running towards the exit.

"I don't know yet, the police seem to think it is a suicide, but they don't know who the body belongs to," Cyborg explained, following her down the steps outside. Once everyone had exited the plane, Cyborg started the car and signaled for them to get in. Before anyone had a chance to say anything, they were on the road while Cyborg fiddled with the dial.

The sound system switched between channels and Raven was becoming agitated that he was trying to find a station to listen to at such a time. He finally found what he was looking for and turned up the volume.

"Cyborg, can you please turn-" Raven began before getting shushed. Coming through the speakers was what sounded like a police scanner. She nodded in acknowledgment and listened intently while the other two leaned forward in the back. They continued driving towards the source of the call, waiting for something new to come up on the scanners.

Several minutes passed without conversation before someone finally broke the silence. "Turn right!" Raven shouted as Cyborg missed an off-ramp. He had been listening so carefully that he had completely missed their exit. Up ahead was another ramp that he figured he could turn around at, so he got off the road and pulled into the side streets.

"_The body has been identified as female,"_ a voice on the scanner said. Everyone in the car looked at each other, none of them knowing what to do now. "_Get an ambulance down here!"_ Cyborg turned the volume down so that they could hear each other.

"So… Do we still check it out?" Beast Boy asked, leaning forward in between the two front seats. Raven edged towards the door, uncomfortable with how he was breaking her personal space bubble.

"We're almost there, I mean, we could at least see what happened," Cyborg proposed. "You know, see if it is anything important…" Starfire was disappointed that this did not pertain to Victor or Robin, but agreed to go to the crime scene as she was already up.

"I suppose," Raven replied tonelessly. Cyborg put the car back into drive and turned around to find the on-ramp. Raven leaned her head against her hand and looked out the window, watching the streets begin to light up as the sun rose into the sky.

"Hey, wait!" she shouted suddenly, turning her entire body to face the window. Cyborg slammed the brakes and the two Titans in the back flew into the seats ahead of them.

"Hey, man!" Beast Boy shouted, rubbing his head. Starfire huffed quietly next to him, trying to get the seat belt to unlock.

"Sorry," Cyborg replied. "What is it?" he asked urgently, facing Raven. She had her hands pressed against the window and was looking intently out at an alleyway.

"I'm not sure…" she whispered, opening the car door slowly to step out. Cyborg gave her a concerned look and pulled the car over to the side of the road. Beast Boy and Starfire got out of the car and stood beside the doors, not wanting to venture any further. They watched as Raven stood silently ahead of them, staring at a building. Cyborg soon joined the other two and gave them a look of alarm.

"Rae-" Beast Boy began, but her hand shot up, telling him to stop. The other three were now becoming uneasy. Something didn't feel right…

They stood silently for about twenty minutes, not knowing what to do or say, before Raven finally moved. She walked back to the car and got in the passenger's seat without a word. The Titans all gave each other a look of bewilderment before filing into the car tiredly.

"Raven," Cyborg addressed cautiously, putting his seatbelt on. She had her hood covering her face and was sitting unusually still.

"I thought I saw something…" she replied vaguely, her voice slightly off.

"Are you the okay?" Starfire asked, placing her hand on Raven's shoulder worriedly. Raven just nodded in response and waved her hand for Cyborg to start the car. With one last glance towards Raven, he started the engine and drove off towards the scene of the crime.

* * *

As usual, please be so kind as to leave a review. I love getting feedback! And thank you so much for your continued support! I really could not have written all that I have without you guys!


	17. See What I've Become

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

So, I have bad news... The reason that this took _so_ long to post was due to the fact that I just returned to college... Which means that updates are going to slow down to about once every other week. I know it sucks and I really hate it, but I just don't have the time with the new semester. I will try to update as soon as possible, but if there is a really long wait for certain chapters that means that it is midterms or finals. Please don't give up if there is a long wait, I promise I am not going to stop writing this story, it will just be slower...

Anyways, enjoy this chapter. I wish I could have edited more and changed a little bit, but that would mean about another week of waiting, so it will have to do. Enjoy!

* * *

The Titans arrived at the crime scene only minutes after the ambulance. The police were very reluctant to allow them near the crime scene, but gave in since they were so called 'superheroes'. Cyborg had been very grateful that the body was already zipped up in a bag before any of his other teammates could see it; though it did not keep it from being any less horrifying.

The first thing they had noticed was the disturbingly massive amount of blood and tissue everywhere. Beast Boy had turned even greener than usual and was forced to step away while Starfire nearly passed out from the sight. The two were now standing near one of the cop cars, making sure to avoid looking at the crime scene. Cyborg walked over to them after looking at the scene in horror. He had never seen anything like it… the pure carnage…

Raven followed him, her face still hidden by her hood, and joined them all. They were about to discuss what they thought about it when a police officer walked by. Cyborg, having wanted more information, went to approach him.

"Hey, I was wondering if you could talk with us for a moment?" he asked.

"Well, actually, I'm just a crime scene photographer, but I'm sure that Vince would help you," the man replied, pointing to another man standing a few yards away.

"Thanks." The man nodded and walked away and Cyborg walked over to the man named Vince, leaving the other three standing alone.

"This is just sick," Beast Boy declared, retching slightly at the thought of what he had just seen. Raven and Starfire nodded in agreement and remained silent. They all stood up straighter as Cyborg and the policeman came back towards them.

"Thanks for agreeing to speak to us," Cyborg said, turning to face Vince.

"No problem, what would you like to know?" he replied, clearly not perturbed by the situation at all as he was used to seeing such graphic images on a regular basis.

"What…._happened?!_" Beast Boy asked faintly.

"It appears that she either fell or jumped from the roof. It could have been an accident, suicide, or even something fouler," Vince explained.

"Which do _you_ think it was?" Raven asked, thinking that he wasn't going to give a straight answer.

"Honestly, in my professional opinion, I think someone pushed her off," he said, lowering his voice so that no one else could hear. He didn't normally give out information like that, but he thought he could make an exception for a couple of heroes.

"Why is that?" Starfire asked, curious to hear his reasoning.

"Well, the wounds on her extremities suggest that she had been injured before falling off the roof. I am not quite certain as I am not a coroner… but she seemed to have injuries that could not have been caused by the fall." Cyborg looked away from the man to see where his teammate was going. Starfire and Beast Boy seemed to be too into the conversation to notice, but Raven had wandered off in the middle of the explanation.

She was now standing at the edge of the street, once again staring intently at another alleyway. Cyborg's heart skipped a beat as he became even more worried than before. She was really freaking him out now…

"When are you going to know for certain?" Beast Boy asked, not noticing that Cyborg was staring off into the street.

"This is just between us, but the whole thing was caught on tape... The bank across the street has a mounted camera that scopes over this building, so it should have recorded the whole incident. We have people that are working on getting the footage right now, so we should know for sure in a couple of hours," Vince replied.

Cyborg had vaguely heard what he had just said and turned his attention to the man while still keeping his eyes on Raven.

"We need to see that footage," Cyborg declared. A breeze was now picking up and Cyborg watched as Raven's cloak began to shift. She remained unmoving despite the fact that her cloak was wrapping around her torso oddly. _What is wrong with her?!_

"Um…" Vince replied hesitantly.

"Look! It is really important that we see that footage!" Beast Boy shouted, quickly getting hushed by the officer.

"Not so loud! Okay, why don't you stop by my office around one and I'll show you what comes up." Beast Boy and Starfire nodded enthusiastically and Vince handed them his card. "Just come to this address and look for building twelve," he instructed. Cyborg shook his hand and thanked him for his help before he walked away.

"Okay, so what do you- Hey! Anyone there?" Beast Boy said, waving his hand in front of Cyborg's face. He turned to see what he was staring at and became slightly nauseated at the sight of Raven standing creepily at the edge of the sidewalk. "What's she-?"

Cyborg started to walk towards her with Starfire close behind him. Beast Boy followed the two reluctantly, honestly being too creeped out to want to go near Raven. They all stopped behind her and looked carefully across the street, trying to see what she was seeing. Starfire leaned forward next to Raven, noticing the intense look of concentration on her face. After a few minutes, Beast Boy couldn't take it anymore.

"What is she _looking _at?!" he whispered loudly to Cyborg, who just shrugged in return. Starfire took a step forward to stand next to Raven and touched her arm lightly.

"Raven?" she asked, fear and concern in her voice. Raven did not reply, but just continued to stand there for another several minutes.

"We should go," she finally said. Cyborg and Beast Boy glanced at each other, obviously freaked out.

"Erm, Raven? What do you keep staring at?" Beast Boy asked shakily. Raven just shook her head and started to walk to the car, leaving a bunch of confused Titans in her wake.

Once in the car, Cyborg sat still, not turning the engine on. "So um, what do you guys want to do until one?" he asked, turning to face the two in the back seat. He decided to ignore Raven's odd behavior for now.

"We could search for the boss of the crime," Starfire suggested.

"We could keep looking at the abandoned warehouses," Beast Boy offered, unable to think of anything else to do. He really wanted to see that footage…

"NO!" Raven shouted, causing everyone to jump. Cyborg leaned back into his chair and looked at her, but she turned her head away from him and gazed out the window.

"What?"

"No abandoned warehouses," she said resolutely. He decided not to push the matter and turned to start the car.

"Tailing Victor it is…" he mumbled, pulling out onto the street.

…

It had been several hours since the Titans woke up and they were sitting inside the car outside of a large manor. Two large pizza boxes were sitting in the back and Beast Boy was now eating his sixth slice.

"We should probably get going. We are supposed to meet that Vince guy in like twenty minutes and we are practically an hour away… Plus, this guy is the most boring guy to watch in the universe…" Beast Boy reckoned, garbling his speech as he chewed. So far, all they had seen was him step outside to smoke a cigarette.

"Perhaps one of us should stay here?" Starfire suggested sweetly.

"No, we should stick together," Raven commanded. She had been sending off a really uncomfortable vibe the entire time and was quite frankly pissing Beast Boy off. The only times that she spoke was to talk down to them or boss them around.

"Raven's right, we should just stay together," Cyborg agreed as he started the car. "We'll be back soon anyways, I'm pretty sure Victor will still be alive in the next hour." The car pulled onto the street and the four rode in silence for the next forty five minutes. Beast Boy was examining the card Vince had given them while Raven stared out the window.

When they arrived, Starfire was the first one out of the car. The rest followed her down the sidewalk as they looked for building twelve. A small mobile building with dingy paint stood before them, bearing a plate with the number twelve on it. All four of them filed up the ramp and entered the building one by one, Raven being last.

As the others looked for the office with the name Vince on it, Raven looked out the door cautiously before closing it. Inside his office, Vince heard several knocks and stood up to open the door.

"Hello, Titans!" he exclaimed, moving out of the way so they could come in. "How are you?"

"Tired," Beast Boy replied, taking a seat in the only chair there was.

"Sorry I don't have more seats, but I don't normally have this many people in my office at one time." Beast Boy could see why… It was tiny to say the least. The walls were jam packed with shelves and filing cabinets and the desk was smashed into the corner. Starfire stood in front of a book shelf, admiring the pictures of his family with curiosity.

"I don't mean to be rude, but we really need to be somewhere else right now, so can you show us the video?" Cyborg asked, trying to be as polite as possible. Vince seemed a little offended, but didn't say anything about it as he took a seat at his desk.

"Yeah, I get it, business before pleasure," he remarked quietly, folding his hands in his lap. After a few moments of silence, he realized that none of them were going to say anything. "So… Actually, an unexpected problem showed up with the security tapes…"

"Seriously!? Are you kidding me?" Beast Boy groaned impatiently. He really was counting on this video…

"They've been tampered with… It just skips straight over the incident… About a half hour is missing," he explained unhappily, "Which leads us to believe that it was foul play after all."

"And the medical examiner? What did he have to say about the body?" Raven cut in, standing near the door with Cyborg.

"We haven't exactly gotten the official report yet, but he did say that there were a few puncture wounds and bruises that were inconsistent with a fall." Raven opened her mouth to ask a question, but he cut her off before she could even begin, knowing what she was going to say. "No, we haven't identified the body yet…" The Titans all stood in silence, letting the information sink in. "There was also blood found at the top of the roof, specifically on the edge… There was a bloody hand print that looks to be about her size, which means…"

"She was holding onto the edge before she fell," Raven cut in, finishing his thought. Vince pursed his lips and nodded before looking over to Starfire, who was now holding a picture of him and his best friend.

"That's my buddy Clark, he works over in the main building," he explained. Beast Boy looked up, his eyes widening slightly, before looking away quickly.

"Beast Boy? Is this not the man- Mfph!" Beast Boy flew up and covered her mouth, shaking his head. Vince stared oddly at the two as Beast Boy slowly and awkwardly backed away. Starfire put the picture down and Cyborg cleared his throat.

"So… I guess if that is it…" he began, edging towards the door. This whole investigation seemed to be a waste of their time and he figured they should just go back to their original plan of tailing Victor. Vince immediately stood up and walked towards him, sticking his hand out.

"How about I give you a call if anything new comes up," he offered, shaking Cyborg's hand. Raven walked past the two and stood outside the office, waiting for them to finish with the formalities.

"Yeah, thanks man!" Cyborg said and Vince turned to shake Beast Boy and Starfire's hands.

"Thank you for your help," Raven added, shaking his hand last after everyone exited out of the room. He nodded and walked past them to the front of the building, remembering that he needed to pick up some files.

"Well, that was a bust," Beast Boy sighed.

"Yeah," Cyborg agreed, slightly angry that they had left their stakeout for this.

"What did he mean by the 'foul play'?" Starfire asked. She didn't want to ask in front of the man and embarrass herself.

"It means that whoever killed her messed with the videotapes so that it wouldn't be caught on camera," Beast Boy replied, receiving a nod of understanding from Starfire.

"Doesn't matter anyways, this has nothing to do with Robin," Cyborg theorized, leaning against the wall and looking to see if anyone was listening to them.

"I wouldn't say that…" Raven replied.

"What? You think this is somehow related to him?" Cyborg honestly could find no correlation between the two whatsoever.

"Perhaps we should speak with the Red X again?" Starfire proposed.

"Think he would know if Slade had a strife with a woman?" Cyborg didn't think that was much to go on. Their time was probably better spent tailing Victor…

"We _are_ right here, we could just stop by and question him again," Beast Boy offered.

"I guess…" It couldn't hurt, plus, it would only take a few minutes since they were so close. Beast Boy nodded and pulled out his communicator, dialing the number for the holding cells.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear you." Beast Boy jumped and looked behind him to where Vince was standing, holding a single file in his hand. _Damn it!_ "Did you say that you wanted to speak to that thief?"

"Er…" _Think of something to say!_ Beast Boy really hoped that Vince hadn't heard them say Robin's name, he really wanted to keep the police out of this for now. Cyborg didn't quite understand why he was acting so strangely… so what if the man heard them talking about Red X? What could be the harm?

"I'm afraid you aren't going to be able to," he said, walking into his office. "He escaped last night… Only had him for a few hours," he added shamefully.

"Do you guys lose everything?" Beast Boy asked incredulously. He meant it jokingly, but Vince took it the wrong way.

"This is New York; we have lots to do and very little man power. We can't exactly control the entire damn city!" he replied curtly before shutting the door.

"Great job… Way to piss off the only person who was going to help us," Raven said, receiving a glare from her teammate.

"It was a joke!" Raven started towards the front of the building and Beast Boy followed her with his arms raised. "Come on! Why is everyone so serious here?!" he shouted, slamming his hands down to his sides in defeat. Cyborg and Starfire glanced at each other, trying to ignore the two's arguing, and followed them out of the building.

Inside the office, Vince sat down at his desk and picked up the phone. A man picked up the other line after three rings and quickly stated his name and department. "Hey, it's me," Vince said, swiveling in his chair out of boredom. "I just got some strange visitors," he laughed.

After a small pause he spoke again. "The Teen Titans!" he declared, ignoring his anger at the comment Beast Boy had made. "Yeah, I know right!" Another pause and he opened the file he had grabbed to read it. "Wanted to know about the jumper from this morning… Yeah, I don't really know why. You think they are scoping out the city, thinking of moving here?..."

A few minutes away, another man was sitting at his desk, jotting down notes while on the phone. "Is there anything else that they wanted?" he asked, looking up and clicking his pen. "The thief?" _What could they want with the thief? _"Okay, thanks… I'll talk to you later. Yeah, bye." He put the phone back down on the base and sat back in his chair. "What is the connection?" he whispered to himself, writing a question mark on his notepad.

"Clark! I want that case report on my desk in a half hour!" The man dropped his notepad and turned around to grab his file. "You were supposed to have that for me yesterday."

"Sorry, I've been a little busy…" he said, handing the file over to the man standing at his desk.

"Maybe if you would spend a little less time doing unaffiliated investigations, then you would be caught up on your real damn work!" The man walked away and Clark sat back down, reading over his notes. He had his work cut out for him tonight…

…

A half hour later and the Titans were all in the car, on their way back to Victor's manor. "All I'm saying is that he had a stick up his butt!" Beast Boy declared, leaning in between the two front seats and looking at Raven.

"Beast Boy…" she said, rubbing her temples, "Just… shut up." Beast Boy smirked and sat back in his seat, glancing over at Starfire.

"That's the best advice I've ever heard," Cyborg chuckled jokingly, causing Raven's lips to curve slightly upwards. "But seriously though, BB. What was your problem with that guy?" he asked.

"It was a _joke!_" he shouted for the fifteenth time.

"No, not that… What was up with you jumping all over Starfire?" Comprehension dawned on Beast Boy's face and he lowered his voice.

"Oh, I just… I didn't want him to know that I talked to his friend," he answered resolutely, as if it explained everything.

"And why is that?" Raven asked sarcastically.

"Because! His friend was all over me about Robin… I don't want him to think that Robin had something to do with that woman," he explained. Cyborg still didn't quite understand why, but Raven silenced him as he was about to ask.

"Robin would never have killed that woman!" Starfire declared silently, her head resting on the window.

"Yeah… I just figured we should know everything that is going on in the city, you know?" Cyborg replied, trying to ease her mind. They were now going through the industrial area of the city, just before the suburbs where Victor and a select other few lived. Cyborg found it slightly humorous that you had to go through the ghetto to get to the rich neighborhoods.

Street by street passed them by in a blur and the sun was now directly above them in the sky. The streets, which were less busy than the inner city, only had a few pedestrians wandering about. Starfire and Raven observed the people as they passed them by, neither really looking for anything in particular.

Suddenly, a loud _pop_ sounded and the car jumped as if they hit a pot hole. They then felt the car limp forward; they had a flat tire…

"Man… Of all the things…" Cyborg sighed, pulling over to the curb. He and Beast Boy got out of the car to examine the passenger side tire while the two girls sat in the car.

"Perhaps we should offer the help?" Starfire commented, opening the door to step out. Raven got out and stood near the door, looking at the massive tear in the tire. "I can lift the car for you," Starfire offered, knowing that it would be easy.

"Yeah, we'll have you do that; let me get the spare tire from the back first though," Cyborg sighed, walking towards the back. "I'll fix this up before BB can even begin complaining!" he joked. Raven stood up straighter and looked over toward an alley a few yards away, suddenly seeming alert. Beast Boy recognized that and looked over to where she was staring, seeing nothing once again.

"Don't tell me you are going to stare at nothing all creepily again!" he said, trying to mask the fear in his voice. He didn't really feel comfortable being stranded on the side of the road with her being all freaky again. Cyborg came back, rolling a tire with him, and stopped to see what Raven was looking at.

"How long until you think the car will be ready?" Raven asked quietly, her eyes squinting as she looked for something. Starfire stretched her head out as far as she could to the side, trying to see what Raven was seeing.

"Five minutes maybe, why?" he replied, letting the tire fall to its side on the floor with a thud. Raven grabbed his shoulders and pulled him to the side, out of hearing range from the other two.

"Someone has been following us all day, ever since we got off the freeway this morning," she stated, sounding slightly worried. Cyborg wasn't used to hearing that in her voice, which made his stomach uneasy.

"Do you know who it is?" he asked, his voice now down to a whisper.

"I'm not…_certain…_" she replied warily, looking over his shoulder at the same alleyway. "It is familiar, but I can't place it... It's like I know who it is, but don't at the same time… I've been sensing it everywhere we go though, at the crime scene, at the police station, even at Victor's house…" she explained. Cyborg glanced over at the other two who were staring at them quite agitatedly, wanting to be in on the conversation. Beast Boy was fidgeting and switching his glances between the alleyway and his teammates.

"Is it friendly?" he asked, expecting the answer to be a flat no.

"I can't quite tell," she replied, getting a look of confusion from him. "People are very complicate beings, with many different emotions and auras. Not everyone is so black and white; sometimes their auras are very complicated to read. That's why I have been concentrating so hard, I've been trying to figure it out, but I can't."

"Well… What have you gotten from it so far?" he asked, hoping that she would have a more concrete answer. She sighed; _why didn't he understand_?

"It is not necessarily a nice person… In fact, it is quite malevolent…" she explained, still feeling it now. "I'm pretty sure that whoever it is flattened our tire…" Cyborg's eyebrows furrowed in concern and he scanned the area for any immediate threats. "But, like I said, it is very complicated. I don't think that whoever it is wants to necessarily hurt us… just study us…"

"Should we approach it?" he asked, wanting to know who was following them. "We can't just lead it back to our ship later on," he added. It could wait until they were all asleep to strike for all he knew.

"No, definitely not; that is the exact opposite of what we should do." Cyborg sighed and scratched his jaw. What were they supposed to do then? "I say we just let it be. Unless it becomes a threat, we leave it alone," she explained in a commanding tone.

"Hey!" Cyborg and Raven both looked over to see Starfire shouting and pointing at someone in the distance. Before Raven could so much as open her mouth, Starfire was running after the figure with a nervous Beast Boy on her tail.

"No! Stop!" Raven shouted, but neither heard nor listened as they ran. She was soon left alone as Cyborg sprinted after them, thinking that she was by his side. With a hesitant shift in her weight, she levitated into the air and flew after them all, extremely angry that no one had listened to her. This was exactly what the person had wanted, to have them follow it into a dark freaking alleyway!

Raven soon caught up with the rest of her team as they entered a large, broken down looking building. Inside was what used to be a front office; the walls were dark gray and had faint black streaks on them from what looked like fire damage. The room even smelled like smoke, reminding them all of the smell of the tower for the first few weeks after Slade's attack.

Raven was now flying slightly behind Cyborg, who was in the front, while he climbed the stairs. A large slam echoed throughout the building and Cyborg followed it into the hallway of the seventh floor. They all slowed to a stop and looked around, trying to find where the figure had went.

"We should go back," Raven stated resolutely, getting an eager nod from Beast Boy who could also sense the malignant presence due to his heightened senses.

"Robin?" Starfire shouted loudly, receiving a shush from Beast Boy. Several faint claps reverbed down the hallway and Beast Boy shuttered lightly.

"This is all too familiar," he commented quietly as they followed the faint clapping. The dingy hallway got darker the further they walked down and Starfire sneezed softly from the dust in the air.

They arrived at a large double door when the sound stopped, whoever it was clearly wanted them to go in. With a deep breath of anticipation, Cyborg grabbed the handle and motioned for the others to stand back. The door flew open and slammed against the wall inside the large office. Cyborg quickly scanned the room, turning on his small shoulder light. There were large boards of wood covering the windows against the wall, though light still escaped through small cracks, and a large desk sat in the middle of the room.

Everyone stood tall upon seeing a figure standing next to the desk and Starfire's hands began to glow a faint green light.

"Red X!" she shouted, sounding angry that he had lured them all the way to this building when they just saw him yesterday. Way to build up all that anticipation for nothing…

"I thought you said you didn't know it," Cyborg commented questioningly to the empath next to him who had suddenly become stiff as a board. She clenched her fists as the realization dawned upon her. She felt so stupid! How could she have let them come here? Regret immediately filled her and she tried to think of a way to get out of the situation.

"Cyborg, I-" she began, but Starfire took a step forward. She lifted her hand up towards him, preparing to just blast him and get it over with. She didn't exactly feel like dealing with Red X again so soon, and she especially didn't feel like listening to his sarcastic banter for an hour. The green light shown on his back and she tilted her head to the side. _Where was his cape?_

The figure turned around and she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth and losing their glow. Beast Boy's eyes widened and Cyborg stumbled back slightly.

"Robin!" she shouted, her voice filled with glee. Cyborg shot Raven a confused glance, but she just continued to stare at her leader with narrowed eyes. Starfire immediately shot up into the air, her feet leaving the ground for the first time in what felt like forever, and tears began to form in her eyes. She felt so much joy in that moment that she was certain that she would explode, either with tears or quite literally. "Robin!" she repeated.

"Go home," he replied, his voice empty and emotionless. Everyone, including Raven, was taken aback by the sound of his voice. They didn't recognize it; that was not their leader's voice.

Starfire tilted her head and floated forward a few feet, not understanding. "What?" was all she could think of to say.

"Leave New York, now," he commanded, not moving an inch from where he was standing. Beast Boy couldn't help but notice how unusually still he stood.

"We will, but first we need to make sure that Slade doesn't notice that you are gone until we are half way across the country," Cyborg said, taking a step forward. Raven stood still in her spot, now standing slightly behind everyone and watching with a pit in her stomach. She knew what was going to happen before anyone else quite understood.

"No, I'm not coming with you," Robin replied coldly.

"What?" Starfire gasped, shock evident in her voice. "Why wouldn't you want to come with us?"

"Yeah dude, if you are worried about Slade, it'll be fine. We will protect you from him, we won't let him get to you again," Beast Boy assured. There was no way in hell Slade was getting anywhere near Robin after all this. Beast Boy would die protecting Robin from that man.

"I'm not leaving Slade. Now, go back to Jump and just forget about me, pretend I never existed if you have to." Starfire's tears of joy stopped flowing and she was now looking very confused.

"We could never forget about you!" she declared, offended that he could have thought such a thing.

"Yeah! We have been searching for you for years! We never forgot and we never will forget you!" Beast Boy added, trying to talk Robin out of it. Perhaps he was just angry that it had taken them so long, maybe he thought they _had _forgot about him.

"You are our _friend!" _Starfire reminded him, clutching her arm in her hand nervously. "We won't abandon you!" Cyborg flashed the light towards Robin, letting it settle upon his face so that they could see him. Starfire gasped and flew back in shock and Beast Boy and Cyborg inhaled sharply, all of their jaws dropping a little.

Robin's face was so…_worn…_ He looked like he had been through hell and back. There were several faint scars along his jawline and his features were very severe. He no longer looked like their slightly neurotic and fun loving leader; he looked a cold and worn soldier.

"I'm not your friend anymore…" Robin whispered darkly, sending a dagger straight into Starfire's heart.

"That's not true!" she shouted defiantly, her voice full of pain.

"It is. I'm not your leader or friend, I'm not the person that you once knew … I am a murder and I belong to Slade… I don't _want_ to go with you," he declared heartlessly. Tears began to form in Starfire's eyes and she fell to the ground, landing harshly on her knees. Cyborg was staring at Robin with a betrayed look in his eyes; he wasn't so sure that Robin was acting anymore. He would have never said something so cruel, even for looks.

"Murderer?" Starfire repeated breathlessly, receiving a bone chilling stare from the former boy wonder.

"What the hell?! We're here to help you, man!" Beast Boy shouted. "You are our leader and we are here to rescue you! We finally find you and you don't even want to get away from that lunatic?!"

"I'm _not _your leader anymore and I don't want to be rescued," he said curtly. "Now, go home!" he commanded, his voice rising slightly.

"But you're a Titan!" Beast Boy professed.

"Not anymore," he barked back. Starfire felt like a ton of bricks had just hit her, she didn't even know how to handle such pain, it was unbearable. Cyborg looked over at her, feeling the deepest of pity and looked back at Robin desperately.

"Come on man, I know that Slade is probably threatening you with something or listening in right now, but we are here to help you! Stop fighting against us!" he tried, hoping to appeal to him.

"I wouldn't have lured you here if Slade was listening in, and believe me, this is not me fighting you, this is me showing a kindness to you," Robin stated, looking unsympathetically at the brokenhearted Tameranian. Cyborg was now hunched over Starfire, trying to comfort her, while giving Robin a look of disbelief. _This was not happening… "_I don't want your help, I am with Slade now, and nothing you do can change that."

"Showing us a kindness?" Beast Boy whispered questioningly. Robin ignored the comment and looked over to Cyborg, knowing that he was the new leader.

"I would suggest leaving now before it's too late," Robin stated dryly. _Was that a threat?!_ Cyborg could not believe his ears, he felt like he was dreaming. Robin made to leave, but Beast Boy stood in his way, looking into his face.

He stood his ground, despite feeling extremely afraid of the unknown boy in front of him. Robin's features were even more severe up close and the look on his face made Beast Boy want to cringe. The other Titans were now surrounding Robin in a circle, but he felt no threat whatsoever. He could take them all out right then easily, but he figured it would be best to at least give them a chance to leave.

"Robin, please," Starfire pleaded, her face desperate. He had to be acting, he had to!

"I'm giving you a chance to leave this unharmed, _take it_," he growled threateningly. She took a step back, looking at his mask in astonishment. He had never talked to her like that before… Beast Boy stared at him, trying to see through the mask, despite his new found fear of his former friend. He knew that this would destroy Starfire and yet Robin didn't seem to care! This was not who they came to save…

"This is the one and only chance you are going to get," he added before disappearing into the hallway like a ghost, leaving a group of frightened and broken friends behind.

…

The sun was now setting and a cool breeze flowed through the air, rustling the trees and making a pleasant sound. A car pulled into an empty lot where a plane sat, its lights turning off after stopping. A large, dark figure stepped out of it and inhaled, enjoying the crisp air.

After a few moments, the man walked towards the plane, a small device in hand. It would be another hour before the sun went completely down, so he knew that he had about ten minutes to accomplish his task.

Upon breaking in, he looked around, turning the lights on to see better. To the right was what looked like the door to the cockpit and to his left was what he assumed was a bathroom. He walked down the few feet of narrow hallway before entering the common room, where files were scattered all along a large table and dishes were piled in the sink.

Even after nearly two years of growing up, they still were slobs… He walked over to the files, looking through them casually and moving around them around. "So… you know what's going on now…" he murmured to himself, noticing files on all of the men that Robin had just recently killed in the warehouse. There was only one file missing, _Victor…_ They must have that on them, which meant they were tailing him.

To the right was a binder covered in piles of paper. He pulled it out of the mess and began to flip through the pages. _Abandoned buildings…_ They must be searching for their base. His eye widened upon seeing the address typed in the middle of a page, just several below what they had crossed out, which meant that they had come close… _very_ close.

He grabbed a pen off of the table and crossed out the addresses above and below his own before putting the binder back under the mess. He couldn't exactly just leave it there, in case they might decide to continue searching, and he couldn't just take it because they would notice. Hopefully they weren't keeping count of exactly how many they checked. Not that it mattered much anyways; they would be gone soon enough. Even if the Titans did show up, he would just annihilate them.

He moved all the files back to where they were originally and walked down to the bedrooms. They were void of anything useful, so he left them as they were and returned to the living area. They really were getting close this time, such a shame that it was all for nothing…

He turned off the lights and left, though not without finishing what he went there for in the first place. Time had seemed to escape him momentarily and he realized that he was there for twenty minutes, though no harm was done. He got into his car, his hands no longer holding the small device, and drove off.

"That ought to keep the Titans away," he murmured deviously, his eye glinting behind the two toned mask.

* * *

So, what did you think of their first meeting? Short, I know, and I apologize for that, but like I said, I didn't have time to really change a lot. I hope it was not a let down or anything... Thank you for all of your favs, follows, and reviews! I love you guys!


	18. The Calm Before the Storm

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

FINALLY! I have finally had time to write today, so this was all written and edited today, which means it probably won't have the same quality as the other chapters... But it would probably have been put on hold for another week if I waited to edit it another few times, so I decided to just post it because I'm dying to get on with the story! I apologize that it is a bit shorter, but I can guarantee you that the next chapter will make up for the length!

Please, please review! I really need some extra motivation to keep writing since I literally have to budget in the time to write this now...

* * *

Inside an abandoned factory on the outskirts of New York, sat a man. Though there were no windows in the room, he still knew that the sun would nearly be set by now. Light was illuminating the outside of the building in a faint, pleasant glow as the sun edged along the horizon.

The man was sitting at a desk, reading over some electronic files for the twentieth time and waiting patiently. He sat back in his chair and took a deep breath, squeezing his eye shut for a moment.

"Ah, Robin, I was beginning to wonder when you were going to show up," he drawled, turning his chair around to face the boy who had snuck in quietly. _Not quietly enough…_ "You left me to deal with Yvette by myself," he stated, receiving no response from the young boy gazing at him.

He chuckled and stood up, walking towards Robin and still not receiving a response other than a blink. "Were you with the Titans?" he asked, standing directly in front of Robin and looking down at him.

Robin, without a moment's hesitation, answered, "Yes." Without so much as a word's warning, Slade slapped him square across the face, leaving the left side completely red. Robin didn't flinch, but merely turned his head back to face Slade, not even grabbing his newly swollen face out of reflex.

"Considering that you are here, I assume that you aren't going to run away with them," Slade stated dryly. He had honestly wondered for a moment if Robin would run off, but it seemed that he was thoroughly broken in.

"No," Robin replied tonelessly, his newly unmasked eyes gazing off into nothing.

"So what exactly did you do?" He highly doubted that Robin killed them, not without a command first.

"Told them to go home."

"Ah," Slade replied with a nod, turning to go and sit in his chair.

"And if they don't?" he asked, crossing one leg onto the other. Robin didn't reply and Slade made a _humph _sound, turning to face the desk again. He had work to do, preparations to make; now that the Titans were in town, he was going to have to change up his original plan a bit.

"You knew Yvette," Robin commented, still standing in the same spot.

"Is that a question?" Slade chuckled, moving around different stacks of paper and trying to find something. Upon hearing no answer, he stopped. "Yes, I knew her," he answered, knowing Robin meant it as a question. "We did a few jobs together back in the day, but today was the first time I had seen her in years."

He finally found what he was looking for and stood up with a small flash drive in his hand. He handed it to Robin, who just looked him in the eye rather than glancing at the device. At the beginning of his apprenticeship, he would avoid looking Slade directly in the face if possible. Now, he did it quite often, much to Slade's wonderment.

"Tomorrow," the man affirmed, walking past the boy to go and maintenance the weapon's room. Robin looked down at the small flash drive in his hand, sighing as he walked to the computer to plug it in and prepare for what Slade needed them to do.

…

After Robin had left so suddenly, Starfire searched the entire building and street frantically, trying to find him again. After an hour or so, the Titans finally managed to stop her, ready to go back to the plane. The entire car ride home was completely silent, an ominous gloom perverting the air. Cyborg seemed to be absolutely and abnormally focused on the road while Beast Boy and Raven just sat looking at the horizon. Starfire sat up straight in her seat with a blank expression on her face, seemingly unaffected by everything.

Upon parking in front of their plane, they all filed out of the car slowly. Cyborg unlocked the door and the four walked into the living area, each taking a seat at the disorganized table with a sigh. _Now what? _Raven cleared her throat, being the most composed person in the room, in order to begin the discussion that no one was particularly ready to have.

Beast Boy made to open his mouth, but nothing came out. He couldn't think of what to begin with, his mind was completely flooded. "What's our next move?" Cyborg asked, finally breaking the silence.

"What do you mean 'what is our move?!" Starfire cut in abruptly, making everyone look at her. She had been so dazed the entire ride home that it quite frankly shocked them to hear her voice so soon in the discussion. She looked at all their devastated and tired looking faces, her own brow furrowed. "We save Robin!" she declared, not comprehending that there was any other option.

"He doesn't want to be saved," Beast Boy replied quietly, looking down at his lap. He didn't want to believe his own words.

"He said that because of Slade! He could not do the talking because of Slade!" she yelled. Cyborg stuck his arm out, quieting her and signaling that he wanted to say something.

"Don't worry Star, we aren't going to give up," he assured. "We just need to figure out how to get him to come with us… I mean, he was probably acting…" Raven kept her face hidden in her hood and looked down slightly, hiding her eyes in the shadows.

"We just need to get him away from Slade, and then he'll probably come with us," Beast Boy proposed. "Like you said, he was just acting…" he mumbled quietly.

"He _will _come with us," Starfire growled, agitated that they doubted him in the slightest. "He is Robin, he is our friend!"

"Okay Star!" Beast Boy shouted, raising his hands in defeat. "It's just… Shouldn't we have a plan for if he-," Beast Boy hesitated, "…doesn't want to come back with us?" Everyone looked at each other perplexedly; Beast Boy wasn't normally the one to bring up the tough questions.

"We will convince him!" Starfire declared adamantly.

"Yeah man, we will just have to make him remember why he wants to get away from Slade… I mean, the poor kid has been with him for almost two years now, that's gotta leave some emotional damage…" Cyborg added. He knew Robin would have issues, but he didn't expect him to not want to leave. Perhaps he had become so accustomed to Slade that he forgotten any other way of life. Or he could have been completely brainwashed, though Cyborg never saw him as the type to be susceptible to that sort of thing.

"Cyborg, may I speak to you for a moment?" Raven whispered, looking at her teammate.

"Oh, come on! Why do you two always talk without us? Whatever you have to say, you can say it here!" Beast Boy whined. Raven and Cyborg ignored his comment and walked down the hallway to the living quarters, leaving Beast Boy and Starfire to discuss the possible reasons for Robin's behavior by themselves.

"We need a plan to force Robin to leave, he won't come willingly," Raven stated, eliciting a sigh from Cyborg.

"You don't think he was acting?"

"No, like I said, his presence was odd. Now I know that the reason it was so familiar was because it was him, but the reason it was so different was because he isn't the same person." She paused and looked at the door. "We are going to have real problems getting the real Robin back. Whatever Slade did to him drastically altered his mind… and that isn't something that you can just fix with a sudden rescue mission."

"So, what do we do?"

"I don't know… I guess we start forming a plan to forcibly take him… What I do know is that rescuing him physically isn't going to be the hardest part. In fact, even if we manage to get him away from Slade, his mind will most likely still be stuck with him; there will be no getting away from his influence. Robin is a different person now and we can't exactly just tell him to be someone who no longer exists." She raised her eyebrows, though he couldn't see it, imploring him to comprehend what she was saying. Seeing that he didn't quite understand, she decided to be blunt.

"There is a chance that, no matter what we do, we might not ever get our Robin back." Cyborg let out a breath, letting the information sink in fully. What was he supposed to do? He wasn't going to let Robin stay, but if what Raven was saying was true, what was the point? If Robin couldn't go back to normal, but was stuck as that complete stranger that they met, what would they do? None of them had exactly thought that part through in their efforts to save Robin. They always just assumed that he would be thrilled to escape from Slade.

"Do you think there is any chance that he was acting? Any chance that he really was saying all of that to protect us, like he did before?" He was really grasping for some shred of hope now. Raven's eyes softened and Cyborg looked directly into them, searching for any possibility that could be found. She sighed and tilted her head, thinking her response through as she looked at his disappointed face.

"Hey, guys?!" they heard a voice say down the hallway. The two glanced out the door, listening to what Beast Boy was shouting about. "What's this?" Cyborg made towards the door, but Raven stopped him.

"I suppose there is always a possibility that he can be rescued," she said softly, hoping to give him and herself some comfort. "We will give it one more shot and try to convince him to come home. If not, then we will move on to another plan, okay?" Cyborg placed his hand on her shoulder and nodded, believing what she had just said. She felt slightly bad that she was giving Cyborg false hope, but she also felt that some sense of hope would help the team. "And Cyborg…"

"Yeah?"

"When the others are asleep, we need to discuss plans on how to rescue Robin emotionally, once we actually have him." She knew that they would be able to save him physically, it would be challenging, but they could manage. She was just worried about the part afterward… Cyborg smiled weakly and nodded, patting her on the shoulder twice as he turned away.

The two walked down the hall and stopped in the doorway when they saw Beast Boy and Starfire huddled around a computer screen. Cyborg immediately ran up to stop Beast Boy from breaking the computer, but slowed down upon seeing a small flash drive in his hand.

"What is that?" he asked, watching as the computer turned on.

"Don't know, found it on the table," Beast Boy replied. Raven walked up behind them all and examined the flash drive.

"Who brought this?" she asked, not recognizing it from earlier. Beast Boy shrugged in return and typed in the password to the computer. Once it had turned on, he plugged it in and waited for the prompt screen to show up.

A list of actions popped up and Beast Boy clicked on the 'play in media center' option. He wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but figured that someone had just forgotten about it. It was probably one of his pirated movies; he must have brought it by accident.

The media player popped up and the video started to load. Raven leaned in closer to get a better look and Beast Boy fidgeted in anticipation. The video began as a black screen and the first thing that everyone noticed was that it was only forty minutes long. _Too short to be a movie…_ The screen remained black before it suddenly turned gray and started to fade into a picture.

Everyone squinted to try to make it out as it became clearer and more focused. Before long, they could make out what looked to be a building. Cyborg, noticing the grainy quality, immediately recognized this as security camera footage.

"What the-?" The video now clearly showed the rooftop of a building, completely empty and still. Small puffy clouds floated by slowly in the background of the building, giving it an almost peaceful feel.

"Is this-?" Beast Boy began before looking closer at the screen. "But how?"

"I thought Vince said that the footage was gone…" Cyborg commented, watching the empty rooftop with a confused expression.

"He did," Raven replied. They all watched curiously, waiting for something to happen.

"So, then… how did it get here?" Beast Boy asked. The rooftop was still empty and Cyborg began to wonder if this was the footage that wasn't tampered with. Did one of them get a copy from Vince?

"No idea…" Cyborg replied perplexedly, seemingly too interested in seeing the footage to care at the moment. Starfire was too busy watching the tape to pay attention to the conversation and nearly jumped when a woman ran out onto the screen. Everyone was now completely invested into the video, not a single eye straying from the screen.

As the woman nearly ran off the screen, they saw a tall masked man run after her. Starfire tilted her head slightly upon seeing the two stop and talk, wasn't she supposed to be running from him? _If only there was sound!_ She really wanted to hear what they were saying.

"Knew it was Slade!" Beast Boy shouted, receiving no response besides a sideways glance from Cyborg. They all leaned in closer when another, smaller figure slowly walked out onto the screen.

"Robin?" Starfire whispered, scrutinizing the figure with all of her mental power. After a few more minutes of talking, the woman ran off, promptly followed by a quick, sprinting Robin. They watched as he tackled her, each cringing when he stabbed her in the arm.

Watching him mercilessly drag her back like it was nothing disturbed them like nothing else they had seen thus far. This was someone that they knew for years, someone that they loved, committing this horrendous crime. Starfire's hands flew to her mouth, yet she couldn't take her eyes off the screen as she watched him drag the fighting woman back towards the front of the screen.

Beast Boy was grimacing and Cyborg was holding the side of his head in response to watching the two fight on the floor. They didn't quite know who to root for, even though they knew the outcome. Of course they didn't want Robin to get hurt, but they also didn't want this woman to die.

Small intakes of breath sounded in the room as they watched Robin press the knife into her neck, each believing that this was how she was going to die. Confusion fell over the group as she flipped him off of her and started to stumble around. She looked to be drunk.

Starfire gasped as Yvette toppled over the edge of the roof, barely catching a grip on the building at the last moment. The room was now extremely tense as they watched Robin walk nonchalantly over to the hanging woman. It was eerie the way that he walked, he was quite frankly terrifying. Even Cyborg found himself slightly afraid of the stranger on the screen.

Every single one of them winced as they watched him stab her in the hand like it was nothing. Starfire hadn't removed her hands from her mouth the entire time and Beast Boy was holding on to the edge of the table in a death grip, flinching with every violent act that Robin committed. With a squeal, Starfire turned and buried her face into Cyborg's shoulder as Robin pulled the knife out of the woman's hand. The other three looked away with a grimace as she plummeted to her death.

The little movie ended after Slade approached Robin and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, leaving it on that picture. Beast Boy looked in horror at the frame of the two standing side by side, master and _apprentice_. This was the first time that he had really seen what the two had been doing, the first time he saw Robin like this, and he didn't like it.

Starfire was sobbing quietly while Cyborg comforted her, looking off into the distance with a shocked, blank face. Raven seemed to be the only one not completely thrown off guard by it. A small frown decorated her features as she shut the computer screen so that they didn't have to look at the picture.

"H-he… He d-did it because of-of Slade," Starfire sniffled. "H-he forced him to!" she declared, reaching out to find any consolation there was.

"I-I don't know Star…" Beast Boy said, thinking back to the image of Robin walking towards the soon to be dead woman.

"He h-had to! He would n-never kill someone!"

"He just did Star…" Beast Boy's voice was completely defeated sounding; that was solid evidence of Robin's new character.

"B-but…but…"

"Look, it's okay Star. Yes, now we know that it _was _Robin who did it… But that doesn't mean that we should abandon him. That doesn't mean that he isn't still Robin! Slade forced him to do these things; Slade kidnapped him and forced him into submission. We don't know what he put Robin through; I'm sure that it must have been a lot if Robin is like this. He might not be alive today if he didn't eventually bend his will," Cyborg reasoned, also searching for any reassurance he could get. "All we need to do is remind him what it was like to be free, what it is like to not be a prisoner. Just because he may have done bad things doesn't mean that he is a bad person! He is still Robin… Robin is still in there somewhere and we just need to find him!" Cyborg finished, giving everyone a small glint of comfort.

Beast Boy looked down at the flash drive, but found truth in Cyborg's words. Robin had been through more than they could possibly imagine and it changed him, but they could still bring him back. They just needed to help him… He was just doing what Slade commanded, he would never kill someone on his own!

"What I want to know is how did this get here?" Raven asked, changing the subject. Everyone, except Starfire, looked over to her, trying to find an explanation.

"Do you think they found the footage and then just dropped it off?" Beast Boy offered.

"They being the police? No," she replied bluntly. "First of all, they don't even know where we are and second of all, they don't have a key to our plane. Plus, they would have just called. This was not the police…" Beast Boy's mouth dropped as he had no other plausible explanation.

"Slade," Cyborg growled. "He broke in and put this here so that we would watch it."

"Why would he just give us evidence that places him at the scene of the crime?" Beast Boy asked sarcastically.

"Not evidence, a warning," Raven cut in. "This was his way of trying to scare us off, trying to tell us to stay away. He wanted us to see what Robin did so that we would mark him off as a villain and leave. That's why he left the screen on that exact frame, it was his way of saying, 'Robin is mine'."

"What do we do now?" Starfire asked, not knowing where to go from here. "Do we give the drive of the flash to the police?"

"No," Beast Boy answered before Cyborg or Raven could, "We don't want them searching for Robin or else we will never see him again." Raven nodded in agreement, slightly surprised by his intelligent response.

"No, what we need to do is follow Victor so closely that we can't miss Robin. He will have to confront us again and that is when we will convince him to come home. That is when we will save him," Beast Boy answered. He wasn't about to let all this hard work go to waste, not with what was on the line.

Even though they were all exhausted, they knew that that meant starting now, so they all got up and filed out of the plane, ready for the final confrontation that would either end in Robin's rescue or their devastation.

_It had to work, it just had to… _

…

"Well?! You better have some good fucking news! I want to know who this son of a bitch is!" The night was cool and still young. Several clouds covered the sky, dimming the light provided by the moon and the stars. "What do you mean you _think_ you know?! You either know or you don't!"

A large house sat on the edge of a small lake, illuminating the entire body of water with its light. A man was standing on the porch, shouting into his phone and pacing back and forth as he cursed. With one more puff, he flicked his cigarette into the lake. "Okay… just, shut up…. Tell me who it is…." He stepped inside of his house, shutting the large sliding glass doors.

"Hey, boss, maybe you shouldn't stand outside." The man lifted his hand to silence the source of the voice, standing hunched over his phone and listening intently.

"Are you even fucking kidding me?!" The man plopped down onto the leather couch, listening to the rest of what the man was saying in disbelief. "A fucking kid is doing this?! An ex-_hero_?!"

The other man in the room could hear a faint _yes_ from the phone, followed by some muddled speech. "Yeah, no shit! I realize that…" He shifted his weight, eliciting a noise from the leather couch. "And what will you be doing?" A moment's pause and he shoved his face into his hand. "Yeah, yeah, okay… Just don't disappoint me!" With that, he hung up the phone, throwing it across the room and breaking it.

"I assume that wasn't good news?" The man looked up.

"No, Joseph, it was not good fucking news!" he shouted, half growling.

"Then what do we do boss?" Victor leaned forward, clasping his hands together and looking down.

"We leave…" he replied spitefully. He was never the type of man to run, but this was his best move for now. He would leave; wait for things to cool down while someone ran things for him, and then return. Meanwhile, he could work on exacting revenge upon the person responsible. Everyone who worked for him was dead, save for a few undercover workers and Joseph, and he wasn't about to let that go. He realized the position he was in and he had to act accordingly.

"When do you want us to leave?" Joseph waited for the command, ready to go and prepare the jet immediately.

"Tonight."

…

Robin was once again in the bathroom since it was the only place that he could have privacy. He seemed to spend a lot of time standing in front of the mirror; one might think him to be vain, though he was never really looking at his exterior. He gazed at his reflection, seeing past it as he dozed off in thought.

Seeing the Titans was definitely unexpected as he hadn't really thought about it as a possibility, at least not recently. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to do; he just lured them into the building and what happened, happened. There was no organization to his appearance; he just knew that he had to do something.

He stood in front of the mirror, looking at his blank expression with a tilted head. He had been numb for so long that it had become his default. Upon allowing himself to go into that state, he never expected that he wouldn't be able to get out of it. He just needed it so badly; he needed to somehow block out the voices, the guilt.

It was the only way he could survive, but now, this was who he was. He couldn't reverse it… Not that it mattered; it wasn't like he was going to be leaving Slade anyways. And did he honestly want to feel again? As much as he would like to know what it felt like to have emotions again, he had blocked them out for a reason, and a good one at that!

He pushed the thoughts from his mind and walked down the hallway, knowing that Slade would be at his desk.

"Good… Robin," he greeted upon seeing Robin stroll through the door. "I was about to call for you, we have some changes to the plan." Robin tilted his head in response, waiting to receive his orders. "Your little friends are in town now, thus they will naturally disrupt the attack. So, I need you to distract them while I take care of Victor, then I will rejoin you," he commanded. Robin nodded dutifully like a soldier, not questioning Slade's motives.

"When do we strike?" he asked, preparing to get into uniform.

"Tonight."

…

"Who are you?" a man mumbled, staring at a computer screen intensely. "And why are they trying to hide you?" With a sigh, he turned around in his chair and grabbed several stacks of paper and notebooks.

"You come to New York and all of a sudden the organized crime falls…. What exactly are you doing?" The man sat back in his chair, chewing on his pen and thinking. "Wait a second!"

He opened one of the notebooks and scribbled a sentence down in bold: _The first city?_ With that, he turned back to the computer, minimizing the picture of the young Titan's leader, and started looking at news and records on decreases in crime rates. He quickly became consumed in his research, losing track of time.

A soft knock sounded at the door about two hours later and the man looked up. His office door cracked open and a woman poked her head in with a smile.

"Clark, are you going to stay up all night doing research?" a small, brunette woman asked.

"Sorry honey, but it looks like it. I'm on a really important case," he replied, faking sadness about it. Truthfully, he was extremely pleased about this case, not that it even was a case. His boss knew nothing about it thus far and he didn't plan on sharing anytime soon. He still wasn't even certain what he was looking for… She smiled softly at him, but nonetheless looked disappointed.

"Well, just don't forget that you are dropping the kids off tomorrow morning." He sighed in realization; he had completely forgotten that it was his turn to take the kids to school.

"Don't worry, I'll get it done," he replied, looking back down at the screen with frustration and taking a sip of his coffee.

"Okay then," she sighed, closing the door.

"Love you!" he shouted at the door, not taking his eyes off the computer, but still causing his wife to smile. He looked at the results of his search thus far, _nothing… _Was there something he was missing? Nothing had happened in Los Angeles, Chicago, Gotham, Miami, Seattle, or Portland…. So what was it? What was so special about New York? Did Robin just appear out of the blue and decide to end crime here? Was that even his goal?

"Hmmm." An idea occurred to Clark and he opened a new search excitedly. "Perhaps if I looked internationally…" And so he continued to search for hours, once again losing track of time before an urgent call disrupted him in the early hours of the morning. The last thing his wife saw before he drove off was her husband bolting through the house with a frenzied look on his face.

* * *

Stuff is about to happen! I hope I thoroughly made you curious as to what that call was about! (Though, I assume you all pretty much know the general idea)

Anyways, thank you for all of your support! And please continue to support the story with reviews! My absolute favorite thing in the world...

PS. I would love to hear what your predictions are. What do you think is going to go down tonight? So, feel free to tell me your theories!


	19. So Close, Yet So Far

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Well, it only took a month, but here it is! So glad that you guys finally get to know what happens! Enjoy!

* * *

Lights flashed by Clark's vision as he sped down the highway, trying to get to the source of the call as quickly as possible. He could not miss this! If only the damn cars would get out of his way! He turned on his police siren, but he couldn't seem to drive fast enough. _Why does the city have to be so damn big?!_

The sound of a honk faded into the distance as he sped past the person he had just cut off. The police radio was blaring as he eagerly awaited an update on the situation. Useless police chit chat dominated the conversation, absolutely nothing of use… He leaned into the windshield and looked at the dark, early morning sky. _What time is it?_ With a quick glance to the clock, he came to realize that it was already three, which meant that he was supposed to be home within two hours to get the kids ready. He could make it….

As he became closer, a distinct cloud of smoke made its way across the sky, covering the entirety of the night and making it even darker. He immediately spotted the source as it glowed a faint orange, obviously still burning. He pressed his foot harder down onto the pedal, speeding the car up even faster. If he wasn't a cop himself, he would probably get pulled over.

With every mile, the cloud of smoke became bigger and more threatening looking. It seemed to expand over the entire sky, shrouding the city in what seemed like an eternal darkness, yet he continued on.

He drove off the highway onto the nearest off-ramp and was immediately greeted by bumper to bumper traffic. Even with his sirens and flashing lights, he could not get ahead of anyone; there were simply too many cars.

"Son of a bitch!" he hissed angrily. _Stupid roadblocks… _He stepped out of his car, craned his neck to see how far the traffic went, and then pulled his keys out. Looks like he was going to have to walk… This was why he hated the city; sometimes he thought he should just move to a small town and become a sheriff.

Crowds of people were huddling around a largely taped off area, some standing on their tip toes to get a better look and some looking quite terrified. Clark approached the crowd and tried to push through them. He couldn't make out anything that the people were saying, there were simply too many voices talking at once.

He was having trouble making his way through; people seemed to think that he was trying to get ahead of them just to get a better look. He pulled out his badge and started flashing it at everyone near him, forcing them to let him through.

He could start to see the outline of the policemen and shoved his way completely ahead of the crowd, crossing the tape with one last flash of his badge. He immediately spotted Vince and walked over to him, taking note of the multitude of firemen still working to extinguish the blaze.

"Hey! Vince!" Vince greeted him with a wave of the hand before turning back to watch the fire slowly dim. Clark stopped next to him, huffing slightly from his ordeal.

"What happened?" he puffed, looking at the burning building. Vince turned to him and gave him a look that said 'you know'. Clark looked around at the scene, taking note of everything around the fire, all the damage. He leaned into his friend, his expression full of worry.

"Where are they?" One glance told Clark all that he needed to know.

…

A short while away and about thirty thousand feet in the air was a private plane, flying away from the scene in the streets of New York. Though three separate planes had intended upon leaving that night, only one had managed to make it.

…

-Several Hours Earlier-

"So, what's the plan?" Beast Boy asked, once again leaning into the seats in front of him. Raven for once did not lean away, but rather faced him directly.

"We lure Robin away from Slade, either convince him to come with us or forcibly take him, and then leave as quietly as possible. We don't want to make a scene and we certainly don't want to alert the police that anything is going on tonight."

"You think he will make a move so soon?" Beast Boy asked. They _had_ just seen him a few hours ago, even though it felt like much longer.

"He has to. Now that Slade knows we are onto them, he will be eager to finish the job and leave." Beast Boy nodded at Raven and Starfire leaned forward, her stomach in a bundle of knots. "And the only thing standing in-between him and freedom is Victor."

"I'm going to take us to his house first; if he is still there, then we will continue with the plan," Cyborg commented. "If not, then I would say the next best place to go would be the private airport where his jet is. I'm sure he knows what is going on by now…"

They were nearly there as Cyborg raced through the semi-deserted streets, taking all of the side roads that he could. It was the very early hours of the morning and the sky was clear, yet no stars could be seen due to the sheer amount of lights in the city. Beast Boy was tapping his finger on the side of the door rapidly in anticipation, thinking about all the possible outcomes of the situation.

Although the footage had horrified him, he couldn't help but want to save Robin even more because of it. Whatever Slade did to make him that way must have been truly horrendous. Even though he had momentary doubts upon seeing it, he knew now that he would do anything to get Robin back, no matter how he was behaving at the moment.

"Would you _stop_ tapping!" Raven barked, unable to stand his nervous movements. With a half whispered apology, Beast Boy stopped and began tapping his foot instead.

Starfire seemed to be the most restful of them all, but on the inside, a storm was brewing. Her stomach felt as if a massive brick was weighing it down and she felt like she could vomit out the window at any moment. She was so nervous; the prospect of seeing Robin again quite frankly made her both joyful and terrified at the same time. He wouldn't attack them though, at least not with full force. He would never harm them…

Cyborg glanced over at Raven with an apprehensive look on his face. This was it; this was the moment of truth… _All or nothing_… She shared a meaningful look with him and took a deep breath, seemingly unable to get enough air in her lungs. The tension in the car could be cut with a knife.

"Here we go," Cyborg declared, parking on the street in front of Victor's house.

…

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, master," a rigid voice replied.

"Good, my apprentice." Slade walked around to the side of Robin's motorcycle, watching as he mounted it. Unlike his uniform, the bike was solid black, not a single speck of color on it. Robin got situated on the bike before he readjusted his various weapons and belts. He pulled his helmet on and looked at Slade, awaiting command without question.

"Do not forget the plan Robin," Slade warned darkly, receiving a curt nod in response. Robin knew his instructions and he was going to follow them as closely as he possibly could. "Good, now go."

The warehouse door slid open as Robin started the engine of the bike. With a loud rev, he lifted his boot off the ground and sped into the night. Slade remained there for a few moments, looking out into the road as the bike disappeared before turning around and stepping into his own mode of transportation.

…

"I don't think he is here…" Cyborg stated as he walked towards his three teammates. He had just checked the entire property and looked into the windows, but saw no movement. "He probably left," he sighed.

"No, he's here," Raven replied. "He just knows that _we_ are here…"

"Do we just wait until Robin and Slade show up?" Beast Boy asked. Their plan wasn't exactly the most solid.

"No," Raven replied, thinking carefully. "Slade must have a plan and I am certain that he knows exactly what we are doing right now…"

"Then what are we to do?" Starfire piped in quietly, her voice shaking slightly from both nerves and the cold air.

"We need to get to Victor before he does…" Raven answered.

"And how are we going to do that?" Cyborg asked skeptically. A cold wind blew by, ruffling everyone's hair and sending Raven's cloak flying into Beast Boy.

With a shake of her cloak, Raven replied, "We go with plan B."

…

"Yeah, this is just what we need! A fucking vigilante group stalking outside the door!" Victor whispered bitterly, standing behind the large wooden door of his office, gun in hand.

"The jet is ready boss, we need to leave soon if we are going to make it out of the city before day break," Joseph replied, also holding a rather large hand gun and facing the window.

Victor turned his head slowly to look at Joseph, a look of absolute hatred in his eye. "No shit, Joseph!" Joseph raised his eyebrows in response, not really caring that his boss was chastising him. He was used to it. "I fucking swear…" Victor muttered. He turned back to face the door, hesitant to leave the safety of his office for the garage, but he needed to leave… _now._

A soft buzzing sounded in the room, though neither men looked for the source of the noise, both too preoccupied with the task at hand.

"I will go ahead of you, just follow me to the car," Joseph offered, walking towards the door. Victor narrowed his eyes, thinking it through. If Joseph got shot, at least he would be protected, but then he would have to make it to the jet on his own, which was very risky. He decided to take the chance and nodded once.

Before Joseph could open the door, an odd sound filled the room and both men turned around. A large, dark orb filled the middle of the room, transforming into the shape of a Raven before melting around the form of a young woman. Both Victor and Joseph began shooting immediately, their bullets ricocheting off of her large shield of magic.

A green boy dropped from the ceiling, transforming from the form of a fly into a human and landing behind Raven's shield. Victor opened the door as quickly as he could, only to be greeted by the green glow of a young woman's hands.

"Shit!" He once again began shooting, but this time it was towards Starfire. Raven barely managed to put up a shield before the bullet impacted. Seeing her concentration averted elsewhere, Joseph ran towards Raven, continuing to shoot at her and trying to get around her shield. Before Raven could as much as move, Beast Boy yelped and shoved her onto the floor.

Starfire, seeing that all the shields faltered and disappeared, started shooting starbolts at the two men, trying to disarm them. The room was in utter chaos; bullet holes decorated nearly every surface in the room and the curtains were singed and burning from the green bolts.

"Stop! We are trying to help you!" Beast Boy grunted, gaining no attention from the two attackers. Victor, with a mad look in his eye, turned towards Starfire. Caught off guard, she backed up and delayed retaliating. He took the opportunity and jumped on her, tackling her to the ground. Little did he know that she was about fifty times stronger than he was. Within seconds, she shoved him off of her, her hands glowing hot as she stood.

"We are here to offer you the help! Do not attack," she commanded, her tone surprisingly mature sounding. Joseph, taking the opportunity of her back being turned away from him, stood up and lifted his gun. All in one moment, Starfire could hear a muffled shout, the sound of a gun being fired, and the sound of impact. She turned around and heard a small clatter as a bullet fell to the floor a few inches away from her.

Raven sighed in relief and lowered her shield before turning her attention to Joseph and Victor. "Enough!" she shouted. Both of the men felt their hands tingle as they became engulfed in black magic. Much to their dismay, their guns pulled away from their hands and began to float towards the two Titans on the floor. Starfire, sensing Victor's intent, shot her arm out behind her to warn him.

He immediately stopped crawling upon seeing her hand inches from his face. He and Joseph shared a fleeting glance before holding their hands up. Victor had no intent upon going quietly. If he was going to go down, it was going to be with a bang…

"We are here to protect you from the people trying to attack you," Raven explained monotonously, her impassive persona back in tact now that everyone was safe. She stood up and brushed her cloak off, noticing several bullet holes lining the edges.

"You mean like you just did," Joseph replied, sneering at the empath.

"Hey! You attacked us first!" Beast Boy shouted, standing up to defend Raven. Victor glared at them as Starfire pushed him forward, forcing him to stand next to Joseph. She then joined her two friends, never once letting her glowing hands down.

"Here's how it's going to go," Raven addressed commandingly.

…

"Come on guys…. What's takin' you so long?" Cyborg murmured, tapping his fingers on the wheel of the car. He had been sitting in front of the driveway for a while now, waiting for his friends to reemerge. So far, he hadn't seen or heard anything. Perhaps he should go and make sure that everything was okay?

Looking at the clock, he decided against it. _It's only one... Give them ten more minutes…_ Some clouds were starting to emerge, causing the little light that there was to dim. He glanced at the front door again, listening to the soft purr of the engine. That was it… He was going to go in, something must have gone wrong!

Just as he opened the car door, a green light filtered out of the opening front door. The first person to step outside was Beast Boy, holding a long length of rope that bound the two men together. Both had their wrists tied in a loop that connected them in the middle. Next to them was Starfire, aiming her hands at them to keep them from trying anything. Following up the back was Raven, completely prepared to throw up a shield should Slade or Robin suddenly show up.

Cyborg pulled his foot back into the door and slammed it shut, waiting for them to make their way across the yard. He was prepared to protect them should anything happen. Luckily enough for them, there appeared to be no immediate threat.

"Hurry up!" Beast Boy hissed, tugging on the rope and propelling them forward. Victor pulled back on the rope, causing Beast Boy to stumble backwards, but continued to walk as Starfire pushed her hand against his back. _What a situation he was in…_

Beast Boy quickly opened the door to the back seat and moved out of the way so that the two men could get in. They both scooted in reluctantly, being careful not to bang their hands on the door. Starfire took the seat next to the door and shut it, making sure it was locked before pointing her hands back at the captives.

Raven got into the front seat with a small rat shaped Beast Boy in her lap. As much as she didn't like it, he needed to go somewhere, so this was the best they could do. Joseph, being next to the door checked to see if it was unlocked_. It wasn't…_

The car pulled out of the driveway and drove into the street, heading towards the edges of city. They figured that they would have a better chance if they made it to a semi-populated area. Though putting bystander's lives in danger was normally against their policy, it was the only option at the moment. Slade would not dare raise attention to himself and his operation by staging a massive attack in the city. This way, they could contain the level of violence that would ensue, or so they hoped.

"Real great _heroes _you are," Victor mocked. "Kidnapping two men…." Beast Boy fidgeted in Raven's lap, wanting to retort back. Knowing what he wanted to do, Raven held him down firmer to prevent him from transforming, only now just taking notice of the blood on his shoulder.

"We are not kidnapping you, we are protecting you," Cyborg corrected.

"If it weren't for you, I would be a nice, safe one thousand miles away by now," he growled. Cyborg rolled his eyes and snorted; there was no way he would have even made it to the airport with Slade on his tail. Raven touched Beast Boy's shoulder gently, receiving a hiss from the green rat in response. He must have gotten hit in the crossfire earlier.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with here, so just shut your mouth," Cyborg retorted. Starfire shifted her weight and lowered her hand, certain that they weren't going to escape now.

Twenty minutes passed rather uneventfully. Every off-ramp they passed became more and more populated and lit until they were seeing crowds of people regularly. He knew exactly where they needed to go. If they just made it to the T-ship, then they could hopefully force Robin onto the plane. The plan was rather fuzzy and required a great deal of luck, but it was all they had.

They were planning on not having to sacrifice Victor to Slade, but they all knew deep down inside that it would probably come down to it. Beast Boy continuously shifted around, unable to settle with his nerves, and ended up receiving many of smacks from Raven. She was tired of his incessant movement and soon lost her pity for his bullet wound, though she was grateful for the distraction.

Cyborg pulled off the highway and onto the side street that lead to their plane, relieved that they were so close. He couldn't believe how smoothly things were going, it was almost _too_ easy. It didn't seem right. Raven's breathing was becoming shallow in anticipation and she closed her eyes to try to calm her nerves. This was not the time to become overwhelmed with emotions…

Starfire sat forward and looked through the front windshield. "Friends? What is that?" Cyborg and Raven leaned forward, noticing the small cloud of smoke coming from directly ahead of them.

As they approached the lot that their plane was in, it became clear. There was their plane, completely destroyed. Cyborg gasped slightly at the sight of it, not only because it directly ruined their plan, but also because he had worked so hard on building it. _We should have moved it… Knew we should have moved it…_

Rather than pulling in like they had originally intended, he drove past the lot, not noticing the small black bike pulling out onto the street behind them. Beast Boy was now squealing and squirming in Raven's hand, wanting to get a look at what everyone was so shocked about.

"Hush up!" Raven whispered viscously, wrapping her hands around his body and lifting him to the window. His movements stopped as he looked at their temporary home in shock before Raven pulled him back down into her lap.

"Um, friends?" Starfire began, her body turned around so that she could look out of the back window.

"What is it Star?" Cyborg asked agitatedly, trying not to take his frustration out on her.

"There is a cycle of the motor following us," she whispered, unsure if she was making the correct assumption. Cyborg quickly glanced at his rear view mirror, immediately spotting the small black sports bike a short distance behind them. It almost blended in with the street, making it perfect to lose track of.

Cyborg turned abruptly down the nearest street and the bike quickly followed, making a sharp turn to continue the pursuit. "Yup, he's following us," he affirmed. Raven was watching from the side mirror, now sensing the presence.

"Is that-?" Starfire began, knowing that she didn't need to finish the question.

"Yeah, it's Robin," Raven answered emotionlessly. She had really hoped that it wasn't him that destroyed the plane, but she knew better.

"The kid who has been fucking up my empire?" Victor hissed, trying to turn around to get a look. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about his presence upon seeing their home destroyed.

"Not everything is about you Victor," Raven stated, agitated with his constant swearing and complaining.

"I swear, I will rip him apart limb by limb!" He threw his body around, pulling Joseph further into the middle of the car by doing so, and looked out the window.

"You will do no such thing!" Starfire hissed threateningly. She couldn't even fathom letting someone hurt Robin. It killed her so much knowing that she had already allowed Slade to do so much to him. She could feel her chest welling up from the thought of it.

"Hah! You are on his side? The kid is a murderer," Victor declared bemusedly.

"So are you," Cyborg commented, driving further and further around the edges of the city, not particularly knowing where he was going yet.

"But I don't do it for _fun_." Joseph pulled back on the rope, sick of leaning on his boss, and forced Victor back into his normal seated position.

"Neither does he," Raven stated matter-of-factly.

"You do not have the idea of what he has been through!" Starfire declared, her eyes threatening to spill tears.

"And you have no idea what he has been doing," Victor seethed. "Do you know all the details of how he has been derailing my empire?" Starfire narrowed her eyes, knowing that she did not know all the details. Nevertheless, it did not matter, because it was Robin.

"He has killed over forty people in the short span of time that he has been here. At least that is all that I know of. Not to mention that most of them died a terrible death. When I have to get rid of someone, I do so respectfully, but your friend here, no."

"Stop," Starfire shouted, her voice trembling.

"He has shot, stabbed, strangled, poisoned, _impaled-_"

"STOP IT!" she screamed, her eyes glowing a dangerous green. Raven and Cyborg both glanced back uneasily, worried that a fight was going to break out in the back seat. They did not need this, not now with Robin on their tail.

"Starfire, don't forget, we are in the middle of saving Robin right now," Raven said calmly. Starfire's eyes softened, their glow fading, as she remembered the tormented boy currently tailing them. She sat back in her seat and turned away from Victor, sick of his presence. She wished that they could just dump him on the side of the road somewhere.

"Where exactly are you going, Cyborg?" Raven asked, noticing that they were just going in a circle around the city. Victor was turned towards Joseph, listening to something that was being whispered to him. With a nod, he turned away from his comrade and sat up straight.

"I don't know yet, tryin' to figure that out…" Making a rash decision, he turned abruptly onto the on ramp and sped up onto the freeway. Robin soon followed, his foot scraping the ground as he turned. Cyborg glanced back, making sure he was still on their tail.

"Where are you going?" Raven hissed angrily. He was heading directly into the city, not where she wanted them to be going at the moment.

"I'm going to the police department to drop off the two in the back," he replied.

"Why? So that the entire department can get shot up when Slade comes for them? You are going to get the entire force killed!" she reasoned. The car was becoming extremely tense as the two were now panicking.

"Then what do you want me to do?! We can't exactly continue with our original plan!" he shouted. Robin was swerving in and out of traffic, but still maintaining distance.

"Go to the industrial district!"

"It's all abandoned buildings there!" he countered.

"I know! Just listen to me and go there!" she commanded, leaving no room for negotiation.

With a grunt, Cyborg sped up and got over several lanes, promptly being followed by the sleek black bike behind him. Beast Boy transformed into a small cat and hopped onto the head of the car seat. He needed to see what was going on.

Victor and Joseph remained unusually silent, sitting still and being obedient hostages, not that anyone really cared enough to notice at the moment. After about ten miles, Victor turned to Starfire maliciously and opened his mouth to speak.

"Did you know that your beloved 'Robin' has killed children?" he asked, an evil grin on his face. Before Raven or Cyborg could say anything, she flew into a frenzy.

"Do NOT speak about him like that!" she shouted, facing the mob boss again.

"Innocent women and children," he repeated. Her hands glowed as she prepared to blast him out of the car. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Joseph shoved his arms forward and draped the rope around the seat in front of him, wrapping it tightly around Raven's neck with all of his might.

Cyborg, seeing what just happened out of the corner of his eye, shot his arm out to help his teammate, causing the car to swerve. Victor quickly punched Starfire in the throat and shot forward to attack Cyborg. Pulling his arm backwards, Victor managed to get Cyborg to let go of both Raven and the car. It began to swerve further to the right, scraping against the barrier along the way and causing an accident behind them. Robin managed to evade it with grace and continued in pursuit, watching the situation unfold in the car.

Victor was now leaning over Cyborg, trying to grab the wheel. Raven, meanwhile, was choking and gasping for breath, desperate for some oxygen. Beast Boy, in cat form, pounced on Victor, knowing that if the car crashed they would all die.

Victor fell back slightly and Cyborg managed to grab the wheel in time to pull off of the freeway and onto a side street. They were now almost in the inner city, definitely a more crowded place than they wanted to be. As soon as he was off of the freeway, he slowed down and moved to help Raven, whose face was now a very concerning shade of purple.

The black motorcycle pulled slowly off the freeway and followed the car, the cyclist's head tilted to the side. He could not believe what was happening in the car right now.

Victor dug his nails into the cat's neck and ripped it off of his face before throwing it against the window. He then proceeded to pull on Cyborg again, trying to get him to slam the breaks.

Cyborg was both trying to pry Joseph off of an increasingly less active Raven and prevent the car from crashing while Victor pulled his arms back. It was not a good place to be.

"Let-Go!" he huffed. "We are gonna crash!" He was trying to appeal to Victor's logical side, but the man was desperate and willing to do anything, including kill four teenagers in an attempt to escape. Shouting and hissing filled the car as it accelerated and decelerated repeatedly, slamming them all back and forth from the force. Cars coming from the opposite way were honking and swerving to avoid the rogue T-car.

Raven's eyes began to shut as her gasps for air became shorter and shallower. Just as before, several years ago during Slade's attack, her vision began to become fuzzy. She tried to grasp the rope, but it was too tight; she couldn't get her fingers under it.

"RAVEN!" Cyborg tugged harder against Victor, relinquishing control of the car completely in a desperate move to help his teammate. Beast Boy, in cat form, came fumbling out from the back and jumped onto Raven's lap. He looked at her ghostly white face, hissing when her head began to lull. Joseph continued to pull with all his might, coming awfully close to snapping her neck right there.

Beast Boy lunged for her throat and began biting at the rope. Blood began to dribble down her neck and onto her leotard as his teeth sunk into her skin. Vince, not letting up, pushed forward on Cyborg, causing his foot to slam down on the gas and propel the car forward abruptly.

Raven, almost completely unconscious now, dropped her hands from her neck as her head fell forward, pushing the small kitten off of her. Joseph pulled her back into a sitting position by jerking the rope back harshly. Immediately afterwards, the car became engulfed in black. The motorcycle tailing them slowed down, watching the car darken.

Suddenly, the brakes were slammed at the same time that Cyborg's foot was on the gas and the car flipped forward in an almost slow motion fashion. The motorcyclist came to a stop and placed his foot on the ground, watching as the car nearly flipped onto its head.

The black orb receded back into the car and the car fell back onto its wheels, everything becoming oddly still afterwards. Robin pushed his kick stand down and proceeded to step off of the bike. It wasn't even a second after he kicked his leg over the seat that he saw it coming.

A large white Ford truck came hurling off the ramp and before it even happened, he knew. The truck proceeded to slam into the T-car, completely obliterating the front where the engine was. Robin watched as the T-car skidded in circles for several yards before slowly grinding to a stop.

He took several steps forward, watching the faint smoke sizzle out of the car as if it were a freshly fired gun. Silence filled the street as people started to run towards the accident, completely shocked at what they had just seen. The Ford came to a stop a short distance down the street and sat in the middle of the road.

'_Oh my God! Did that really just happen?!' 'Do you think everyone is okay?' 'What happened?!' _Robin listened to the people as they began whispering loudly amongst themselves. Several people were already on cell phones, alerting the police to the accident. Robin glanced at them with annoyance, but remained standing in the street, staring at the immobile car.

…

Smoke filled his lungs as he took a deep breath, causing him to cough. His mind felt foggy and he couldn't quite think straight. The sounds of metal adjusting filled the air and he opened his eyes, peering through the thin smoke. The outline of several bodies was the first thing that he saw; at least that was what he thought he saw. He wasn't quite sure… He wasn't even quite sure if he was upright or not.

His wrists moved slightly and he could feel the tug of a rope, pulling back on him and moving another body next to him. He moved his head over and could see the blurred outline of a man lying on his side, facing the window of the bashed in car. Taking in a raspy breath, he felt a pressure on his shoulders.

His mind was beginning to come back to him as he realized what had just happened and where he was. A strong pair of hands was tugging him out of the car and consequently pulling Joseph out with him since they were tied together.

"Ungh-" He landed on the ground with a thud before Joseph toppled on top of him. The hands then disappeared and he was left on the ground, his head throbbing and his ears ringing. Perhaps crashing the car had been a poor plan after all.

Across the way, Robin stood indifferently, watching as Cyborg opened the passenger side door to pull Raven out. Who would have thought that it would come to this? Who could have guessed what he would become… _What they would become…_

Cyborg ripped the door open and a pale hand fell out. A green leg toppled out next to the hand and scraped along the ground, causing its owner to twitch in response. A loud hacking filled the air as Raven gasped for air. Beast Boy was lying directly on top of her, sprawled out and intermingled with her limbs. While in the midst of coughing, she began to push him off of her, leaning out of the door to try to gain leverage.

Beast Boy rubbed his head while trying to regain his bearings, not paying attention to the squirming girl below him. "Beast Boy, get off… of… me," Raven huffed, coughing as she did so. Hearing the pain in her voice, he quickly rolled off of her and out of the car, landing on the hard ground with a _thud. _Seconds later, the door to the back burst open and Cyborg jumped forward out of reflex. Starfire quickly crawled out of the car and looked around, immediately spotting Robin.

She locked eyes with him, though his were covered with a mask, and for a moment felt a certain weightlessness to the air. It was as though everything stopped, as if time froze, and suddenly nothing mattered. The sounds of Cyborg pulling her two friends out of the wreckage faded into the background. The feeling of his hand ghosted across her shoulder, but she did not turn to face him. All that this moment was was Robin, plain and simple. Nothing else.

A beautiful sadness crossed her face as she looked into the tormented one of her best friend. The few moments that she stood there in the street motionless, staring at the unfamiliar boy before her, seemed to last a lifetime. She did not look back as Raven crawled dazedly out of the car and she did not look back when Beast Boy started shouting frantically.

Robin tilted his head once again, otherwise remaining motionless. He seemed to not care that several police cars were on their way. He too was frozen in the moment, glued to the eyes of the girl he had once loved fiercely.

Cyborg looked up, his vision slightly cloudy due to the dust on his robotic lens, and saw Victor beginning to rise. Joseph was pulling him up, not being particularly too injured to make a run for it. He shouted towards Starfire, but did not seem to be able to catch her attention.

"Star! Victor! Get Victor!" There was no use, she wasn't going to move. He turned and looked to his two friends, making the decision to do what was best for the mission. He walked away from Beast Boy, leaving him to tend to Raven alone.

While keeping his eye on Robin, he ran towards Victor, afraid that Robin was going to shoot the mob boss right there. The two began to back up quickly as they saw Cyborg approaching them. Before they could begin to run, he grabbed them by the cuffs of their collars angrily.

"Do you know what you just did?!" he shouted, shaking Victor violently. "You just sealed your fate!" Joseph side hooked Cyborg in the face, sending him stumbling back. The rope trailed behind the two as they ran and Cyborg managed to dive on top of it, gaining a handle. He tugged the two backwards, making them land painfully on their backs. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he rather enjoyed inflicting pain upon them.

"If- Robin- Gets a hold of you- You- Are-Dead," Cyborg huffed, pulling the two back. _Why were they even bothering to save them again?_ He pulled them up into a standing position before dragging them back near the car, the whole time making sure that Robin didn't pull out a gun.

Starfire felt her senses return as she heard Cyborg drag the protesting mobsters. Everything settled into a calm, an eerie peace. Not even the bystanders were speaking, too enthralled by what was happening to miss a single beat. The police were nearly at the scene, yet no one did anything about it.

"I told you to go home," Robin stated matter-of-factly. He was speaking to all of the Titans, though he never parted his gaze from Starfire.

Cyborg pulled tighter against the struggling captives, trying to maintain focus on Robin. He wasn't going to get to them, not now, not ever… They would not let Slade get away with his plan.

"But, Robin…" Starfire whispered desperately.

"The Robin you once knew and loved is dead, so go home and mourn him before it is too late," he cut in.

"No! He is still in there, and we are not going to leave without him." She felt her breath hitch as she waited for his next move, but then a commotion interrupted the scene.

"Stop it man! You are going to get yourself killed!" Cyborg was shuffling around with his two hostages, trying to gain control, but they were fighting too fiercely. Joseph, nodding at his partner in crime, quickly turned around and wrapped the rope around Cyborg and pulled his arms back. "Damn it!" He could not believe that this was happening again; he seriously regretted his choice in ropes now.

Victor's arms shot forward, his hands darting down Joseph's pants and searching the edges of his hip. "What are you-?" Cyborg began, cutting off upon seeing a knife emerge from out of a hidden sheath. Starfire made a move forward, but stopped when Victor cut the rope off of Joseph, who immediately returned the favor.

With one glance at Robin, the two ran the opposite way down the road towards the white truck that had hit them. Starfire moved forward, ready to block Robin from following the two. Much to her surprise, he didn't move, but merely cocked his head to the side with what she thought was a small smirk on his lips.

"Star, don't let him get to them!" Cyborg shouted out, running after the two rogue mobsters. He seemed to not have noticed Robin's passive behavior.

"You don't have to do this," Starfire pleaded, wanting to distract him should he change his mind and go after Victor. Robin's arm reached behind his back, his hand wrapping around the hilt of a short sword.

"I could have just killed you all the minute you arrived in New York, but I gave you a chance," he explained unsympathetically, gripping the sword harder. A darkness fell across his face and he took a step toward the Tamaranian girl. "You should have taken it." Within a second, he ripped the sword out of its place and brought it down upon his former friend.

"So this is how it's gonna be…" Beast Boy stated, glancing at Raven one last time to make sure she was okay. She nodded at him and without further notice, he ran forward into battle. As much as Raven would have liked to aid her friends in the fight, she needed to make sure that the on looking civilians were safe.

While a fight was beginning behind him, Cyborg was trying to gain on the two mobsters who had now made it to the car. Joseph flung the door open and pulled the driver out. The middle-aged man dropped his cell phone and several pieces of paper on the ground and raised his hands in peace, though that did not do anything to save him. Victor, without hesitation, slit his throat with the knife and climbed into the car. Joseph threw the almost dead man to the ground and climbed in after his boss, quickly shutting and locking the door behind him.

Cyborg finally approached the car as the engine roared to life. Before he could get a good grip on the door handle, the car sped off into the street. "Damn it!" Cyborg growled angrily. _So much for saving them_… He dropped to the ground, placing his hands on the neck of the man and trying to feel a pulse. It was too late, he had bled out… On the ground next to him were the papers and phone. Cyborg picked them up, seeing what exactly the man was doing in his car.

_Insurance papers…._ The man must have been on the phone with his insurance company, unknowing that he had just hit a car full of mobsters desperate to get away. Cyborg dropped the papers into the pool of blood and turned around to return to his teammates and Robin.

"Ungh-!" Cyborg saw a green figure fly past him, landing somewhere along the street behind him. Up ahead, Starfire was shooting starbolts at Robin and trying to evade his attacks. She was on the verge of losing, obviously from a lack of effort.

"Don't make me hurt you Robin!" she shouted right before jumping sideways to evade an attack. He continued making moves on her, his stamina relentless. His sword came flying down, about to hit its target, when it clashed with a metallic arm. Cyborg had finally joined the fight, shoving Robin back a few feet by the edge of his sword.

After regaining his balance, Robin narrowed his eyes and smiled for a moment before running forward in attack. Raven was edging along the sidelines, watching the fight closely and monitoring the crowd.

"Robin," Cyborg called out, "Just let us help you!" In response, Robin flew forward with a roundhouse kick to the face, immediately followed by a side sweep to the legs. Beast Boy ran forward to take Cyborg's place, transforming into a gorilla and trying to restrain Robin. Starfire headed up the back with a starbolt to Robin's leg, which never found its intended target.

Robin propelled himself into the air by pushing off of Beast Boy's shoulders, causing the starbolt to hit him instead. He then came down with a powerful kick to the head, effectively knocking Beast Boy to the ground and forcing him to transform back into a human.

On the sidelines, Raven was rocking back and forth, wanting to run forward to help Beast Boy, but unable to. Starfire ran towards Robin halfheartedly, attempting to hit him, but he turned around and grabbed her by the throat. After suspending her in the air for a few moments, he threw her to the ground harshly and turned to face Raven.

Her hand shot to her own bruised throat, still feeling the effects of the rope. She backed up, her arms lifting up to block the people standing behind her, not knowing if he wanted her or them. A black shield formed in front of her as he attacked her with all of the force he could muster.

Starfire, being the strongest of the group physically, recovered quickly and ran after Robin. This time she wouldn't hold back, she would shoot him point blank. Robin immediately stopped his attack on Raven and spun around, throwing several small objects towards Starfire. Smoke soon filled the street and people began to scream.

"Cyborg…. Hey, Cyborg!"

Cyborg sat up and looked through the fog, trying to find where he was hearing his name being called. "BB?"

"I think it is time for plan B," he replied in a whisper, also trying to pinpoint his friend's location.

"You mean plan D? Cause we've already gone through like three plans…" Cyborg answered, coughing on the smoke.

"Yeah, sure, whatever… Just get in position, I'll go distract him." With that, Beast Boy ran off into the clearing fog, ready to fight Robin with all he had.

…

"Just get us to the airport!"

"Don't you think he will expect that?" The sound of the engine roared loudly from the damaged car as it sped forward.

"Of course, which is why we should do it…" Victor replied gruffly, rubbing his wrists angrily. "Plus, the stupid kid will be held up by those Titans for a while."

"What if he has a partner?"

"I'm sure he does, which is why we will kill him when we arrive to the airport," Victor offered. He could begin to see the outline of the private airport in the distance, its lights shining bright.

"I don't mean to question you boss-"

"Then don't," Victor cut in.

"But don't you think his partner will be skilled?" Joseph finished.

"How long have you worked with me Joseph?"

"Do we really have to do this?" he sighed, pressing harder down on the gas pedal. When no reply came, he gave in. "Eleven years…. We've been working together eleven years…"

"Then you must know that I always have something up my sleeve. I'm not that easy to kill…" Joseph nodded solemnly and continued towards the airbase despite his reservations.

…

With a swift kick to the face, Starfire went stumbling backwards. Robin was giving no mercy, attacking with more force than the Titans could particularly handle at the moment. Police were now arriving on the scene, making their way quickly through the crowd of frightened people to see what was going on.

Beast Boy, in mouse form, jumped onto Robin and started attempting to crawl down his shirt, providing the distraction needed. With Robin working on pulling Beast Boy out of his uniform, Cyborg got into position, lifting the barrel of the gun.

Starfire, taking note of the changing plan, ran towards Robin to provide further distraction.

"Robin, it does not have to be like this! You can end it!" Robin grabbed the tail of the squirming mouse and held it up for everyone to view. Beast Boy was trying to get out of Robin's grip, but every time he moved, the grip became tighter.

"You think I am that easily distracted?" he asked calmly. As soon as he had said it, his hand flew out to grab the oncoming dart, catching it with ease. Starfire's breath caught as she saw the last plan they had fail miserably. Robin admired the dart for a moment before turning around to look at Cyborg. "If I was that easy to sedate, I wouldn't be alive right now," he chastised.

With a look of pure emptiness, Robin plunged the dart into the squirming mouse, who in turn screamed loudly enough for the bystanders to hear. He immediately transformed into a snake, slipping out of Robin's hands and plopping onto the ground. The snake then turned into a squirrel, then a cat, then a dog, before stopping as a human. Raven began to run towards Beast Boy as he twitched madly, but Robin turned and threw a rope catcher at her, quickly tying her to the point that she could not move.

Starfire ran towards him, spare sedative in hand, and came down with all the force she had. She needed to knock him out, or else they would never get him to come with them. Cyborg was untying Raven when four policemen arrived at the scene, promptly pulling out guns and shouting for everyone to stop what they were doing. Robin blocked Starfire's attack, grabbing the sedative out of her hands and throwing it to the floor. He then sideswiped her legs from under her and sent her flying to the ground. He stood and faced the police nonchalantly, standing with his arms relaxed and by his sides.

"Put your hands in the air! NOW!" Within a second, a knife flew directly towards the officer's face. It was so fast that the officer wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but the knife hit a black barrier that had formed in front of his face. Raven's hands lowered and she sighed in relief; she didn't think that she would make it in time. Of course, she had just re-directed Robin's attention to herself, which wasn't exactly something that she wanted.

"There will be no killing tonight," Raven commanded in her most mature voice. Cyborg nodded along with her, helping her up from the ground to stand. Starfire soon stood up to join them, her glowing hands aimed at the assassin.

"Don't make us hurt you Robin," Starfire declared, her voice more serious than it had been all night. She was done pleading, there would be no convincing him to come quietly. They would take him by force. The only problem was: how? All of their plans had failed up until now and they needed to act fast before Robin either left or started killing people.

Raven looked over to the now still Beast Boy, wanting to go over and check on him, but deciding against it. She knew that it was just a sedative and that he was alive, but she was still worried.

"I'm done playing games with you, this is your last chance to leave," Robin threatened. None of them responded, each refusing to even entertain the possibility of leaving him. "Fine, have it your way," he growled, whipping out a gun and sending four bullets flying towards the officers. This sent the crowd into a frenzy as they all began running away in fear. It seemed that the fight was no longer interesting enough to risk their lives.

"Damn it Robin!" Cyborg shouted, blasting his cannon towards the young assassin, who of course just jumped out of the way. Starfire and Raven went directly for him, both attacking at the same time from each side.

Starfire had managed to land a hit on Robin, though it didn't do much besides slow him down momentarily. Taking advantage of this, Raven pulled several street lights and signs out of the ground and positioned them into a small prison around Robin. He paused for a moment, contemplating his next move before throwing a smoke bomb to the ground.

Raven held the prison in place despite not being able to see if Robin was still in it and Starfire stood cautiously, trying to see through the smoke. Out of the cloud came a small, yet heavy boomerang and before Raven could spot it, she was hit square in the stomach. With a grunt, she fell to the ground, clutching her abdomen. The grunt was soon followed by a cluster of loud clanging sounds as the bars fell to the ground.

Cyborg came from behind Robin, picking up one of the smaller bars and throwing it at him. Robin's bo-staff deflected the bar, but Cyborg continued with hand to hand combat, grabbing the bo-staff and breaking it over his knee. He then aimed a barrage of punches at various areas on Robin's body, managing to land some in the shoulders and neck.

Starfire shot a bolt directly at Robin's back, hitting Cyborg instead when Robin moved out of the way. Cyborg stumbled back and tripped over the sidewalk, landing directly into a power line. Everyone, including Robin, paused to watch the scene unfold.

The wooden pole fell to the street, making large cracking sounds as the wires ripped apart. Cyborg watched in horror as one of the charged wires came directly for him. He tried to move, but wasn't quick enough. Starfire squealed at the sight of Cyborg getting electrocuted. Within moments, he powered down, having short circuited.

"Cyborg!" she began, "Cy- Ungh!" Robin, seemingly unconcerned with his friend's condition, kicked Starfire in the chest. He wrapped his arms around hers and proceeded to throw her to the ground. She shot a starbolt into the sky, not knowing exactly where he was.

Raven was running towards Cyborg when she stopped and changed direction upon seeing Starfire in need of assistance. She put up a shield between the two, stopping Robin from doing anything further.

The two caught eyes for a moment and Robin lifted his hand as if he was pointing to something in the distance. Raven looked around, keeping her peripherals on Robin, and tried to find out what he was telling her. The sound of crackling and hissing filled her ears and she looked to the ground at the fallen power line. Several wires were lying about, sparking and threatening to start a fire.

Robin shook his head at her, pointing once again at the distance. It was then that she heard it, the sound of sirens. _Lots of sirens_… They must have gotten word of the police deaths. There would probably be over thirty policemen on the scene within minutes, which was not something Raven wanted to deal with. She could not somehow manage to protect her friends, fight and take down Robin, _and_ save thirty officers! She was only one person.

Raven shook her head back at him, warning him against whatever he was planning, but he just stared back at her.

"Robin," she growled in warning.

"Robin is dead," was his sole reply.

…

"Everything appears to be good, boss," Joseph said, taking his seat next to Victor on the private plane. It was small, with only about seven seats. Normally they would be filled by his other men, but seeing as they were all dead, it was quite empty.

"Yes, almost too good, wouldn't you say?" Joseph looked at his boss, perturbed by oddly calm way he spoke about danger.

"Er… I suppose it could be considered that way," he replied nervously. Victor was known to blow up once or twice over an incorrect response and Joseph didn't exactly know what to say.

"Yes… too good," Victor repeated. Joseph gave his boss an odd look before turning forward and adjusting himself.

"We are good for takeoff if you are." Victor looked up at the pilot in the doorway, a trusted friend and partner in crime for nearly a decade now.

"Yes, it's about time we got off the ground. I'm getting real sick of being in New York right now." With a nod, the pilot stepped back into the cockpit and closed the door.

"Look, boss, I think this will all work out on its own accord very soon. All we got to do is wait until these _assassins, _or whatever, leave town. Then we can re-build-"

"Just let them go? I don't think so…" Victor cut in.

"Don't you want to rebuild your force before you go pursuing them?" he asked, glancing over at his boss and taking note of his oddly placed hand.

"We won't have to wait that long…" Victor replied softly, pulling a gun out of his waistband. Joseph pulled his gun out in response to the loud _clunk_ in the cockpit.

…

The street had now pretty much cleared of all pedestrians, except for a few stragglers off in the distance watching in awe. Cyborg was lying on the ground next to the fallen pole, Raven was standing in between him and Robin, Starfire was lying on the ground beneath Robin, and Beast Boy was still motionless on the ground a few yards away.

"Why didn't you just go home? Spare yourselves?" Robin asked, sounding bored. Raven was dumbfounded; she could not believe that he still didn't know. They had spent the entire damn day trying to explain to him that they still love and care for him, but it seemed that it wasn't getting through to him.

"Because we never gave up on you Robin, because we love you," Starfire interjected. Robin looked down at her black form, the shield still being in between them.

"I'm not the person that you loved," he barked. _Why were they not getting this?!_ _What did they not understand?!_

"But you are and _you _know it! And _we _know it! That is why we are here! We are here to save you, not only from Slade, but from yourself!" Robin's eyes narrowed and he paused for a moment. Starfire hesitated in anticipation, hoping that she had reached him.

"It's too late, I can't be saved." Robin stood up and pulled a grenade out of his belt, preparing to throw it down on the shield to destroy it. Raven braced herself for the impact, but it never came. Instead, what she heard was sluggish kind of grunt followed by the sound of impact. Beast Boy had woken up, at least partially, without anyone noticing and had decided to stop Robin.

"Beast Boy! No!" Raven screamed, but it was of no use. Starfire jumped up and joined the attack, pushing the two boys into the wall of the nearest building. Robin, grenade in hand, was working on throwing Beast Boy off of him, but the green shape shifter was wedged in between his back and the wall. Meanwhile, Starfire was in front of him, throwing a long line of punches that he was forced to block.

Raven already knew that this was not going to end well, but remained in the distance, preparing to throw a shield up for the three when necessary. Beast Boy could feel the brick wall scratching his back and his head was extremely dizzy, but he continued to cling on to Robin as if his life depended on it.

Robin kicked Starfire's legs out from under her, but hadn't anticipated that she would fall directly into his legs. He wobbled for a moment before falling on top of her, landing face first into the gravel. Beast Boy flipped forward, his body landing on the pavement with his hands glued to Robin's shoulders, before finally letting go and sliding forward a few feet.

A small beeping sound carried across the street and Raven, with only a moment to react, threw a black shield around Beast Boy, him being the only one that she could access. Robin's eyes widened as he heard it and just as Beast Boy became enveloped in black, he lunged forward.

He had managed to get some distance between him and the explosion, but it still hit him on the right side. Starfire, being Tameranian, was knocked out with little to no visible damage and Beast Boy remained on the ground, panting under Raven's shield. Raven, tired from using her magic so much, let the shield dissipate.

Just moments later, bricks began to fall to the ground and loud cracking noises joined the sounds of the power lines. Raven, eyes wide, ran towards Beast Boy as the large three story building began to crumble. Before she managed to reach him, several bricks fell, hitting him and knocking him out once again.

Robin stood up shakily and backed out of the way of the building. Larger and larger pieces of concrete, brick, and wall began falling out of the sky and soon the building's power went out. Police were pulling onto the street, coming to a halt when they saw the building falling to pieces.

He looked over to see Raven hunched over, dragging a limp Beast Boy out of the way. Hesitating for a moment, he ran towards the building and grabbed the unconscious Tameranian, dragging her out of the way of the immediate wreckage. Once they were clear, he dropped her harshly to the ground and left her there, glancing down at her with a blank face.

He stood tall and began walking towards Raven, who was sitting on the ground and breathing heavily with Beast Boy in her lap. She was far beyond too exhausted to notice him and just looked down at the unconscious boy, a tear nearly escaping from her eye. They should have never come here. She was right, giving up was what was best for the team. But it was too late now…

...

Joseph stood up and crouched behind the seat in front of him, his gun aimed towards the door. Victor on the other hand, was sitting casually in his chair, gun held lazily near its holster. The door swung open, slamming on the wall behind it, revealing a tall figure in a black and orange mask.

"Deathstroke…" Victor whispered in a chuckle. "If I had known it was you, I would have brought some brandy to share." Joseph shot his boss a look of disbelief, how could he be so calm around the most dangerous mercenary in the world? "So, I see that you have taken a liking to my empire. If I may ask, why now?" he asked kindly.

"New York is a very influential city in the U.S.," Slade replied, his hands empty, but stained with blood.

"And you needed a U.S. city to add to your portfolio," Victor stated, almost as if it was humorous. "Joseph, I would like you to meet Slade Wilson, a former associate of mine," Victor added towards his friend.

"You worked with Deathstroke?" Joseph asked incredulously.

"No, I worked _for_ him," Slade clarified, a smirk behind his mask.

Joseph turned to his boss, his expression asking if this was true. "I hired him to take care of some people a while back. He certainly is the man you want for the job, unless you _are_ the job…" Victor chuckled once again, making Joseph feel uncomfortable.

"It certainly seems to be your mission to kill all your old associates, isn't it?"

"When it is necessary, yes," Slade replied. "And I would put that gun away if I were you," he added, looking at Joseph.

"Joseph," Victor addressed, "Why don't you go ahead into the cockpit?" Joseph furrowed his brow in confusion and stood up slowly before walking towards Slade. Slade moved out of the way and allowed him into the cockpit where he would find the dead pilot bleeding on the floor.

"So, how is this going to go?" Victor asked, deciding to be straight forward.

"This plane is going to leave the ground, you just won't be in it," Slade replied calmly.

"Going to kill me?" Victor chuckled. Slade smirked once again behind his mask before pulling a bo-staff out from behind him.

…

Inside the cockpit, Joseph barricaded the door and moved the corpse to the corner before taking a seat in the pilot's chair. He had gotten some unofficial flight training a few years back, so it was off the books and unknown to most people, including Slade. Luckily for him, the plane was already running, so he didn't have to alert the mercenary in the back to his intentions.

Within one minute, he began hearing the sounds of intense fighting and just hoped that his boss could hold up until they got off the ground. He looked down at the controls, trying to think back to his training, and began to work on the take-off.

The plane lunged forward suddenly, sending the two in the back stumbling forward and then backward.

"I didn't know that Joseph could fly, or else I would have killed him when he tried to pass me," Slade said bemusedly, anger hiding behind the surface.

"I always have a backup plan Slade, you should know that by now."

Slade pulled several knives out and threw them at Victor, quickly following the attack with a few punches. He would need to call Robin and tell him of the change of plans now that they were going to be taking off.

…

Raven looked over tiredly at the young man approaching her, sucking in a breath once her eyes landed on his face. Robin stopped in his tracks, wondering what she was so shocked at. His hands flew to his mask, or at least what was left of it. The entire right side had gotten blown off, exposing his right eye for her to see.

She stared at him, unable to look away, with a feeling that she couldn't identify deep in the pit of her stomach. She may have seen how he behaved, heard how he talked, even felt how his aura was, but seeing his eyes, that was a whole other thing. The pure amount of despair and horror that looking into them brought about was enough to make her want to kill him right there, to put him out of his misery. This changed _everything…_

She, as all the others had, found herself unable to look away. His eyes were so dim, so void of life. It was like looking at a horrific accident: you wanted to look away, but you couldn't. Robin took a deep breath, letting her stare. No one, besides Slade, had seen his eyes and lived to tell the tale. He took a step forward, his hand on his belt, when he heard a loud crack, followed by a whoosh.

To his right, he saw a liquid beginning to make its way down the street, flowing from the building towards them. Raven, thanking the heavens that her powers were too worn out to explode from emotion, stood up and walked towards Robin. The liquid ran by her feet, narrowly missing her shoes, but she ignored it, not particularly thinking straight at the moment.

Robin pulled out another rope catcher, this time throwing it with enough force to knock her a few feet back. She began struggling in the bindings as he walked over and grabbed the end of the rope, pulling her back towards Beast Boy roughly. The last thing that Raven saw before Robin punched her in the face was the blank, dead stare of his one exposed eye.

Robin turned around and looked towards Cyborg, or more importantly, the power lines. One of the wires was still sparking along the ground as the liquid made its way towards it. Robin took a step back, watching the wire spark one last time before becoming engulfed in flames. The entire line of liquid soon turned into flame, leading directly back to the building. Within seconds, the remains of the building became immersed in flames and within minutes, the buildings next to it were as well.

Robin looked around at the Titans, thinking about his next move carefully, when his communicator buzzed. He looked down at his arm before accepting the call. Slade's face soon appeared, completely shrouded in shadows.

"Robin," Slade growled.

"Yes?"

"There has been a change of plans, stop whatever you are doing and meet me at the following coordinates," he commanded. Slade could see large clouds of smoke and ash billowing behind Robin, along with a reddish glow. He growled angrily, but did not say anything.

Robin read the coordinates and nodded firmly, watching as Slade's end of the video shook back and forth.

"Is the target terminated?" Robin asked robotically.

"Just meet me at the coordinates in twenty minutes…" With that, the call ended and Robin closed his communicator, surveying the scene around him once again. The fire was blazing, but it hadn't reached any of the Titans yet, at least not directly.

He could hear fire-engines coming now and a group of policemen were running down the street to get a closer look. With a sigh, Robin bent to the ground and pocketed the gun that he had dropped. He strolled down the street in the opposite direction of the police, walking towards his bike. Luckily, he had parked far enough away on the street that it hadn't gotten destroyed by the falling debris.

As he climbed onto the bike, several police cars pulled into the street, blocking the exit.

"Get off the bike! Get down on the ground!" a young officer commanded, his gun aimed at Robin. Robin swiftly lifted his gun and shot the man, shocking and alerting all of the other officers. They lifted and aimed their guns at him as he pulled the kick stand up with his foot.

Deciding to be nice, and having no particular problem with policemen, Robin threw several smoke bombs at the ground, making his escape in the clouds and leaving them alive.

Within minutes, Robin was on his way to meet with Slade, leaving the last chance he had for rescue behind in a pile of smoke and ashes.

* * *

Before you punch me in the face, let me just say: this is **not **the ending! There will be more chapters, so don't freak out if I don't post for a few weeks, I promise that I will continue on with the story... I have actually already started the next chapter...

Here is my list of apologies:

-Sorry about the delay, but college life is rough...

-Sorry if this chapter is less fluid and contains more errors. I wanted to get it to you as quickly as possible, so I only edited it once...

Anyways, as always, thank you so much for your unending support! I love reading your reviews and look forward to your responses for this chapter.


	20. Smoke and Ashes

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

So happy! I got to write over Thanksgiving break! So, here is a belated Thanksgiving treat!

So, dig in.

* * *

The radio played softly behind the rumble of the engine and a man hummed along to the melody of a classical sonata. His fingers tapped on the rim of the wheel as he waited for the stop light to turn green. Nearby, several teenagers were crossing the street, leaving school to go home after a long day. He watched as they each separated off into their own directions to get to their homes.

The light turned green and he pushed the gas pedal, propelling the car forward and passing one of the school children. The neighborhood was a rather nice suburb, mostly middle and upper middle class residents. The houses were freshly painted, the gardens well-tended and without a single edge out of place. A few apartments were condensed into a corner, but were nonetheless still good looking.

After passing a few blocks, the man turned onto a smaller road, taking it all the way down to the end until he arrived at a small cluster of businesses. Directly in the middle was an auto-repair shop, small, but well kept. He pulled into the lot and parked in front of the main office, pulling his keys out and leaving the car unlocked.

As he entered, a small ding sounded from the door. Inside, there were only two customers, both sitting in a waiting room, and one employee standing behind a counter.

"Hello! How may I help you?" tihe man asked, standing up straight behind the counter.

"I am here to enquire about one of your employees," he replied in a business like tone. The other man looked him over a few times, taking note of his suit and tie.

"Who?"

"Mr. Stone." The man behind the counter narrowed his eyes, hesitating before answering.

"What is this regarding?" The man in the suit took a step forward, pulling out his wallet and flashing something at the employee. With a grumble of reluctance, the man came around the counter and indicated for him to follow.

Inside the garage of the shop, a man stood in front of a computer screen, scrolling arbitrarily while eating a sub. He was tucked away into the corner of the room, eating lunch alone. The rest of the employees, his co-workers, were all down the street at a restaurant. They didn't very much care for eating in an oily auto-repair shop, but Mr. Stone didn't mind, in fact, he preferred it. He had only been here for a few months and was still settling in, he would make friends in time, not that he really cared to have any. Although, he was on friendly terms with a few of his co-workers.

"Victor!" The man turned around upon hearing the shout and faced his boss, his sandwich still in his mouth. His boss was standing next to a man in a suit. "Someone is here to see you…" he growled. Victor glanced at the man's face, his own face falling as realization dawned upon him. He knew this guy… He knew this guy all too well…

"Could you leave us alone?" the man asked, facing Victor's boss. With a curt nod, the man exited back into the front, leaving the two alone. Victor knew he was in trouble.

"What're you doing here?" he asked, facing the man in the suit.

"I'm here to ask you some questions," the man replied, pulling out a notepad and a pen.

"Look, you already asked me every question there was to ask months ago!" he expressed angrily, turning back around and dropping his sandwich on the desk. "I'm done with questions and I'm done with you!"

"Let me remind you that I am an officer of the law and failure to cooperate will-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! I just thought I was done with all of this." Silence filled the room as the two regarded each other. The man in the suit decided to start.

"I just want to follow up on a few things," he said, pulling up a bar stool and sitting on it awkwardly.

"Why? The case is closed," Victor stated resolutely. It was true, the case was closed. Or so he thought.

"I know, but I am just trying to fill in some gaps." Victor regarded him suspiciously, taking a seat near the computer. He knew that it was not standard for the police to pursue a case after it was closed, but he didn't do anything about it. He didn't need more trouble. "So, how have you been settling?"

"Skip the small talk, I'm only on lunch for the next ten minutes," he replied coldly. "What do you want?"  
The man in the suit narrowed his eyes, despite understanding where the hostility came from, and paused for a moment. "Where's Raven?" he asked, cutting straight to the point.

"That's what you want? Raven?" he replied darkly. "Couldn't tell you if I wanted to." His voice was stiff and rigid, as if he was hiding something behind it.

"Come on Cyborg, don't play me for a fool." Cyborg's face turned sour as he stared at the man with obvious dislike. "I know you know where Raven is, so this would go a lot easier if you just told me."

"Like I said, I-don't-know," he replied, speaking slowly as if to a child. "I haven't seen her since the courthouse, just like you." His voice faltered slightly towards the end and a small amount of pain came through his words. He turned to the side and looked at his sandwich, avoiding looking the man in the eye.

"So you haven't contacted her at all since last year?"

"No…"

The man scribbled something on his paper and sighed. "Cyborg, part of the deal was that you and your friends would cooperate with the police in any manner possible… Does this sound like cooperating to you?" Cyborg's fist clenched as he continued to gaze across the room.

"I'm telling you the truth," he said through gritted teeth. "I have _no_ idea where she went!" He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself before turning to face the man. "What do you even want with her? She doesn't have any more information than we do. It's not like she's gonna be of any help."

"She took part in the events last year and she might have information that you all do not, therefore, I need to speak to her," the man replied in his most official tone.

"Look! You got what you wanted! We're not a team anymore! Okay!" Cyborg shouted. The man sat with his head cocked, listening to the outburst like it was nothing. "So, why continue to bother us when it's over? I haven't broken the contract, so just leave me alone!"

"You honestly don't know where she is?" the man asked, much to Cyborg's agitation.

"What have I been telling you the entire time?!" he asked, his voice dripping with angry sarcasm.

"Then I will leave you to your work. You have about two more minutes until lunch is over, good day." Cyborg watched in shock as the man stood up and proceeded to leave through the garage door, seemingly satisfied enough with the conversation. He stared out of the door, trying to keep himself together, when his boss came back in and beckoned him over.

"Victor?" he said gruffly. With a sigh, Cyborg stood up and walked over to his boss, stopping in front of him.

"Yes sir?" His boss looked around and then lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I stuck my neck out there and gave you a chance, which I know I shouldn't have, but I did." Cyborg blinked and listened in despair. "Not many people would give you a job, with your criminal record and all. Not to mention that you are practically famous for it!" _Was he going to get to the point? _"So I don't appreciate it when you have detectives coming and snooping around my shop! It's bad for business!"

"Sorry-"

"I thought you said you were done with all that," his boss cut in.

"I thought I was… The case was closed, I don't know why-"

"Well don't let it happen again. I don't want to have to do this, but next time I will have to let you go." Cyborg sighed_, why was life so unfair_? "Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

-One Year Ago-

Within minutes of Robin's disappearance, Clark arrived on the scene. He pushed his way through the crowd and somehow managed to find Vince.

"What happened?" The only response he received was a look from Vince. "Where are they?"

Vince nodded over to an ambulance before crossing his arms and walking away. He kicked a large clump of wall along the way, stopping near a police car and leaning on the door.

Clark walked over to the ambulance where several bodies were laid out along the ground, each wrapped in a body bag. He let out a breath and rested his forehead in his palm. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a detective that he had worked with once.

"It'll be alright Clark," he soothed.

"Yeah, I know… It's just…." Clark paused for a moment, looking at the bodies, "Markov too?" The man let go of him and looked down solemnly. "He was so young," Clark whispered.

"It looks like Harrison might survive," the detective said, trying to make the situation a little less horrible. "He's in critical condition, but the doctor says he's got a good chance."

"That's good. At least someone will make it," Clark growled. "Do you guys got any info on what happened?"

The detective placed his hands on his hips and looked around. "Honestly, no. We haven't had the chance to talk to anyone long enough to get a story yet." Clark hummed in response. "Plus, our most important witnesses aren't even awake right now," he added.

"What do you mean?" Clark turned around, facing away from the bodies.

"Haven't you heard? The Titans were involved, but they aren't exactly in any condition to speak right now…" Clark's brow furrowed in anger and he strode past his friend without another word. The sounds of shouting and rushing water and crackling fire all died out as Clark walked swiftly towards the 'witness area' that the police had taped off.

He could begin to see the outline of several young adults lying on the floor when the sky lit up in a sudden flash of light. He, along with several others who had seen it, stopped in their tracks to look up at the sky. A few moments later, a loud _boom_ sounded and the sky flashed again. Everyone, including the firefighters, stopped what they were doing for a moment to watch the ball of fire in the sky plummet towards the Earth.

"What the-?"

…

Robin zoomed down the street, his bike revving every time he sped up. He was nearing the edges of the city now and was approaching the meet up point. He was making good time when a small flash caught the corner of his eye. He looked up to find the source while trying to maintain vision on the road.

It was when another, larger flash, accompanied by a _boom _filled the sky, that he slowed to a stop. His foot hit the ground and he leaned his weight on it, holding the bike upright with his legs. In the sky, a small ball of fire was plummeting towards the ground. Smaller balls of fire were flying off of it in different directions and landing in various areas around the city.

Robin, without a moment's hesitation, started his bike again and zoomed down the street, eager to get out of town as soon as possible.

…

Everyone on the scene stared in awe for several seconds before the police radio went crazy in every car. The street was soon filled with conversation as police officers rushed to their cars to respond to the calls.

"_-rted flashes in the sky…" "-of metal falling into people's yards…" "-exploded" "-caused fire…" _

Clark pushed past some crime scene specialists, trying to listen to one full report. "_Private aircraft, please respond to the following addresses-"_

"What's going on? What was that?" The street had gone into even more of a frenzy than before as several officers got into their cars and drove off. The firefighters were trying to maintain control of the fire, but were receiving calls from other fires around town, causing a large portion of them to have to leave.

Clark stopped an officer who was getting into his car and held his door open so that he couldn't leave. "Clark, I've got to go!"

"What is it? What happened?!" Why was he never fully in the loop? He was going to have to report this to his supervisor someday.

"Plane crash… Some private jet just exploded and now there are chunks of metal falling from the sky and landing on houses. I have to go," he said, yanking the door shut. The car pulled out and Clark's arms fell to his side. Things sure seemed to go to shit within the past three hours…

"Clark, I need you to transport the Titans to the station." Clark turned around and faced his boss, glancing over his shoulder towards the teens. He nodded and pulled out his phone as his boss ran towards a crowd of people.

"_Hey, this is Maeve, sorry I didn't get your call, but leave a message and I'll call you back- or you could just text me."_ The voicemail was followed by a beep and Clark cupped his hand over the microphone.

"Hey, hon. Sorry, but I'm not going to be able to take the kids to school. They really need me right now…" he glanced around at the scene, listening to the cracking of the buildings and the frightened shouts of people. "Look, just stay home today… Just keep the kids and stay home, okay? Love you." With that he ended the call and turned off his phone. He walked towards the unconscious bodies on the ground, his face contorting in confusion as he saw them.

…

The sun was rising slowly, edging along the horizon and lighting a large grass field of barren and empty land. A black motorcycle lay abandoned on the ground and its owner stood still in the middle of the field, waiting patiently. He had been there for nearly forty minutes now, but had not moved from his spot so much as an inch. He just stood silently like a statue, no expression on his face.

He was at the coordinates Slade had given him, yet Slade was not there. Robin wasn't even thinking, he was so out of it that he hadn't even considered the possibility that Slade would not arrive. He just stood obediently in the middle of the field, waiting for his master to come and retrieve him. He had nearly just killed the Titans, yet he didn't care. He had nearly burnt down an entire block and had probably killed dozens of people, yet he didn't care. And here he was, waiting for the man who had kidnapped and tortured him into submission when he could clearly escape, yet he didn't care. He no longer wanted to escape. This was his life now, this was who he was, and he didn't know any other way. Even if he did want to leave, he wasn't even sure that he would be able to function normally again. He was a killer, waiting for his next command. He couldn't be human again.

The shadow of a tree had been blocking the sunlight from his eyes, but as the sun rose the shadow moved. As the light hit his eyes, he raised his hand to his mask and felt the fabric. Half of it was blown off and the edges were frayed and stiff. She had seen it. She had seen his eye and she had been horrified. The image of her face remained emblazoned in his mind as he stopped rubbing the fabric. Besides Slade, she had been the first person to see his eyes and live since he was about eleven. In fact, his mask had been all that his former friends had known. They had never seen him without it. That mask was a part of who he was to them, it was part of the hero they had all known.

Why had he even worn it in the first place? It's not like he was ever going to return to being Dick Grayson while he was Robin. No villain could use his secret identity against him since he had no friends or family that weren't superheroes. Robin was always who he was going to be, even when he was a hero. So, why even bother wearing a mask? And especially after he had left the Titans? He had gotten rid of his Robin costume, but not his mask. It was the last piece of the hero that he had left. Perhaps he had kept it for fear of losing that part of him forever.

Robin peeled the remainder of the ruined mask off and let it fall to the ground. He felt the skin around his eyes and began to scrape off the remaining chunks of glue as a large figure approached. Slade stopped about two feet away from him, towering over him and looking at his blackened face. He took note of the mask on the ground and tilted his head.

"I half expected to arrive to an empty field," Slade said. Robin's uniform was torn in several places and fringed in others. It seemed that he retained as much damage as the city. Robin didn't reply, which was commonplace for him as he had learned to be silent. "I'm not that easy to kill, Robin," he chuckled.

He looked just as bad as Robin, his suit tattered and singed. He was covered in dirt and blood and it looked like he had just run a marathon. "The target is terminated?" Robin asked, his voice less formal and rigid than normal, almost tired.

"Yes, although we lost the jet in the process. So, we are going to have to find ourselves another," he replied. That wouldn't be a problem considering that he had one as a backup, though he was hoping to not have to use it. Using Victor's jet would have just been easier.

"We are heading straight to Paris?" Robin asked, looking at the car in the road a distance away. _Must have stolen it…_

"Sticking around isn't necessarily the best plan at the moment." Robin nodded and started walking towards the car, not needing any other excuse to get the hell out of New York.

"Guess we better get going then," he said, his foot crushing leaves beneath his feet as he advanced forward. Slade glanced one last time at the burnt mask on the ground before turning around and following Robin. And so it decayed in the field, the last remnant of the hero, left to lie in ashes.

…

Beast Boy groaned and shifted in his seat as a bright light invaded his vision. He could feel cold steel against his cheek and something equally cold against his wrists. He had been dreaming of playing video games with Cyborg, like the good old days, and was still half way in-between the dream and reality. He could feel the temperature of the room, but he could still hear the sounds of the game in the background. If it hadn't been for the bright light, he might not have even realized that he was waking up from a dream.

A soft humming came from the corner of the room and he shifted as he came completely out of his dream. He suddenly realized that he wasn't home, but couldn't remember exactly how he came to be where he was. Opening his eyes, he raised his head, letting his eyes adjust to the light. The room around him was small and dingy. Its walls were a dull brown and a large mirror was mounted to his left. Directly in front of him was a large steel table with a chair sitting across from it. Next to the chair was a mounted camera that was aimed directly at him.

"Hello?" His voice echoed slightly in the room. There was a door across from him, but he didn't stand or think about trying to leave. He knew what this room was. "Hello? Can someone please come in?" He wasn't used to being inside interrogation rooms. Robin was normally the one who interrogated criminals and if it wasn't him, it was Raven. Cyborg had also done it once or twice and only because of special circumstances.

The door opened and a tall, thin man in a brown suit came in. He had a cup of water in one hand and a bagel in the other. "Hey, what is this? Where's Cyborg?" The man smiled at him and took a seat, pushing the water and bagel towards him.

"Hello Beast Boy, my name is Officer Derek and your friend is safe, don't worry," the man assured. "Please, have a drink." He motioned towards the water as he settled into his chair.

"Where is he?" Beast Boy asked suspiciously, waiting for the answer before taking the water.

"Next door with a fellow officer. Don't worry Beast Boy, he is fine. In fact, he was the first of you to wake up." Beast Boy quickly downed the water and went for the bagel, only now realizing that he was cuffed to the table.

"Wait, why am I in cuffs?!" he shouted, his voice in a panic. The night's events were coming back to him, but he couldn't recall a reason for him to be cuffed.

"Oh, don't worry about that. It's standard procedure, just try to ignore them." Beast Boy's hands shrunk back into his lap, leaving the bagel untouched. He looked at the camera with a wary eye, wondering if he was being taped right now. "Okay, so Beast Boy, how are you feeling?"

"Fine I guess," he lied. He was far from fine. He could barely recall anything about the night, but he knew enough to know that they had failed at saving Robin. The thought suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks, Robin was probably thousands of miles away by now. Derek watched as his face fell, seeing the sudden realization upon his features.

"Doesn't look like it. Want to talk about it?" After all that time looking, after all those years spent searching and they lost him. It would take years to find him again, if they even did manage to. They had blown it, he had blown it. He had just lost the only opportunity that they would ever get to get him back. He ruined it, he ruined it all… "Beast Boy, I know that this is stressful for you, but I need you to tell me what happened if you want me to help you."

"What?" Derek looked at his dazed eyes for a moment, he could tell that the kid was out of it. _He must be in shock_.

"I need you to tell me exactly what happened last night. Can you do that for me Beast Boy?" he asked, speaking slowly and simply.

"Uh…. Yeah. Yeah, sure, I can do that."

"Great, just let me turn on the camera right here and we'll get you started." He turned towards the camera and within moments it started flashing red, indicating that it was recording. "You can start anytime you'd like now," he said softly, encouraging the young boy.

"Er…." Beast Boy twiddled his thumbs and stared at the edge of the table blankly. His heart started to race as he became nervous. He didn't like this, it didn't feel right.

"Just start from the beginning. What were you doing last night before anything happened?" Derek prompted. The room fell silent and Beast Boy felt an emptiness inside himself, a complete loss of hope.

"I… I was with my teammates," he mumbled vaguely.

"And what were you doing with your teammates?"

"… We were just hanging out, looking over some files and stuff…." He could feel himself sweating now and wanted to reach up and wipe his face, but he could feel the cuffs holding him back.

"And what prompted you to leave?" _This was real, he was being interrogated…_

"Er…."

…

"And why exactly were you under the impression that Mr. Wyatt was in any danger?"

"We had heard that a hit had been taken out on him. It was only a matter of time before he was murdered, so we decided to take the matter into our own hands."

"Tell me this Raven, why exactly did you have any interest in saving a member of the mafia?"

"We are heroes, we don't pick and choose who we think deserves to live and who deserves to die," she replied blankly, her face more stoic than usual.

"I see. So what was it about tonight that made you decide to move? What exactly was the sequence of events that not only lead Mr. Wyatte to dying in a plane explosion, but an entire block of the city also getting destroyed? Because I feel as if I am missing a little piece of the story here."

…

"You're sure Beast Boy is okay?"

"Yes, Cyborg, he is fine. In fact, he just woke up and is being tended to by another officer."

"You mean questioned?" he replied in an angry tone.

"There is no need to get defensive Cyborg. We had our top computer scientist come to bring you back to consciousness. The least you could do is answer our questions. That should be no problem if you were truly uninvolved as you have said," the man said in false calm.

"Maybe I wouldn't be so reluctant to answer questions if you would un-cuff me," he retorted.

…

"Hey guys, how're the interrogations going?"

"Shouldn't you be back at the scene? Or are you going rogue again Clark?" Derek teased.

"Not following orders isn't going rogue, it's called using common sense," he retorted. "But seriously, how is it going?"

"We aren't getting much. I mean, we are pretty much getting the same story from the first three, just with slight deviations, nothing of any help though."

"The first three? What about the fourth?" he asked, leaning over Derek and looking at the footage of the four Titans in their rooms.

"Well, we couldn't calm her down enough to get more than two words from her. And every time she stops crying, if we so much as say one sentence to her, she starts again…" he explained, annoyance in his tone. Clark looked at the box to the far right, examining the girl sitting alone in her room, her expression a mixture of pain and shock.

"Okay, so you say that you got a story from the other three. Does that mean that you are done with them?"

"We have no reason to keep them for now, so we _have_ to let them go."

"Can't we keep them overnight? In light of the circumstances, I think we can keep them as long as necessary so long as it less than 24 hours." Derek looked at Clark with consideration.

"Why exactly do you want to keep them?"

"Because I know that they are a vital piece of this, and I think I know who the other party responsible is, but I can only confirm that if we have them," Clark explained. "If we let them go, we might not get them back." Derek thought his words through for a few moments.

"You really think they will run?"

Clark sighed. He didn't want to give out too much information, not until he was certain, but he was sure that this had to do with Robin. He still didn't know exactly what was going on, but he was closer now than ever and he needed the Titans.

"Yes," he replied.

…

Beast Boy was being led into a larger room in the station, his hands still cuffed. Derek had come into the interrogation room and detached him from the desk, only to tie his hands behind his back, the whole time claiming that it was standard procedure. He had been told that once he finished telling his story that he would be free to go, yet it seemed that he had been lied to.

They arrived at a door where a fellow officer unlocked a gate for the two to enter into. "Wait a second," Beast Boy said, his voice suddenly panicked, "these are cells! Why are we going to the cell block?!"

"We are just placing you here for a few hours, don't worry," Derek replied, leading Beast Boy by his arms.

"Am I under arrest?!"  
"No, you aren't under arrest. We just don't have anywhere to put you besides here, you'll be fine," he replied. It wasn't true. They had a large enough room for them all, they just didn't want them to conveniently walk out. The two turned to the right, down a row of empty cells, and towards the end of the aisle. There was a large cell in the far right corner with two people inside of it. Beast Boy nearly jumped as he saw Cyborg and Raven, but stopped when he noticed Starfire's absence. He hadn't even asked about her, what if she wasn't okay?  
"Guys," was all he managed to say in greeting as the gate to the cell was unlocked. He was pushed through and told to hold his hands outside of the bars so that they could un-cuff him.

"We'll be back for you guys in a little while. I am so sorry that we had to put you in here, I hope that you understand." Beast Boy grabbed his wrist with his hand and started rubbing it as he backed up towards the bench that his two teammates were sitting on.

"Where's Starfire?" Raven asked monotonously, her head hidden in her hood as she looked towards the floor.

"She is still in one of the interrogation rooms. We will bring her when she is able to be moved," Derek said, apology in his voice.

"Wait, what does that mean?" Beast Boy shouted after the man as he walked away. With a clang, the gate to the cells closed and the three were left alone. Beast Boy turned to face his two friends, his face full of concern and disbelief. What was even happening? It was all too much to process right now.

"Are you okay?" Cyborg asked, standing to place his hand on his friend's shoulder. He sounded tired, yet concerned. His voice had lost all of its zeal.

"As okay as I'm going to be for now," he replied, looking over at Raven and wondering how she was doing. He so desperately wanted to ask what happened, why they were here, where Robin was, but he couldn't. He couldn't risk there being cameras around. He didn't know what they had told the police, whether they had lied or told the truth. He didn't even know what the truth was since the last thing that he could remember was fighting with Robin.

"I'm so sorry Beast Boy," Cyborg said, pulling him into a hug. Tears that Beast Boy hadn't even realized were there soon filled his eyes. He shut them tight and hugged his friend back, the events of the night really settling in on him.

After a few words of general apologies and glances of disbelief, the two settled as comfortably as they could be into the cell. Cyborg took his seat back on the bench and Beast Boy sat on the floor against the wall next to Raven, wishing beyond all belief that she would just lift her face towards him. They all sat there in silence for what felt like several hours, listening to the sounds of the station and the echoes of conversations beyond the gate. They could have escaped if they wanted to, quite easily too, though they didn't. They didn't want to get into any real trouble and they didn't particularly have any motivation to leave anyways. Where would they go from here? By staying, they were really avoiding the question of what they would do after this.

The gate opened and a set of footsteps sounded along the walls. Cyborg and Beast Boy looked up to see Starfire being led by two men. The two stood up, watching as they opened the door and pushed her in before un-cuffing her. Her face was blotchy and streaked with tears and pieces of her hair stuck to her cheeks. She looked absolutely terrible. Raven glanced up at Starfire, but immediately looked back down upon seeing her devastated face.

Without a word, Cyborg and Beast Boy pulled the Tameranian into a hug, not letting go until the next officer entered.

…

"_Before we knew it, we were fighting off this…_._criminal and… and, we just, I don't know. It got out of hand quickly."_ Clark stopped the video, pausing on Cyborg's face before he started his next sentence.

"Hey, you do realize that this isn't even your case right?" Vince said jokingly, entering the room for the first time today.

"It's not a case yet, which means it is up for grabs. It is a free for all right now," Clark retorted. "And where exactly were you? I could have used some help earlier." Vince pulled a chair over and sat in front of the computer monitors, looking at the screen.

"I was on the plane crash, didn't have the chance to come over till just now," he replied absentmindedly. He picked a bagel out of a brown bag and bit into it. "They really need to stop buying bagels, I'm getting sick of always having them for lunch." Clark just shrugged off the statement, focusing on the screens. "So, what exactly is it about this that you are so interested in?"

"I am certain that it has to do with-" Clark stopped and looked around, making sure that they were alone in the room, "that _case_ I was looking into." Vince raised his eyebrows and leaned back.

"What makes you think so?"

"All of the Titans were at the scene of the street fire. They were obviously fighting someone and nearly destroyed half the street doing so. The only thing is, what were they doing there? And who were they fighting?" He turned and looked at Vince, excitement in his eye.

"Are you asking me?" he chuckled. Clark turned back to the screens and beckoned for Vince to scoot forward.

"Check this out," he said, moving the video to a certain point.

"_We were just looking for someone when this….criminal came out of nowhere and attacked us… We started fighting back and things just spiraled from there I guess." "And what happened after that?" "Well, I don't really remember, I was knocked out after a little while and missed most of it. I don't really even know what happened…" _Clark paused it after Beast Boy looked away nervously and then moved onto another video, this time featuring Raven.

"_Did you come into an already occurring battle, or did you start it?" "We didn't start anything." "So this mystery person was already fighting with someone else?" "No." "Then what happened?" "…We were going down the street when we saw someone that we thought was a wanted criminal, so we stopped to apprehend him and that's when things turned sour. I'm sure you know what happened after that." "I'm not sure I do Raven, you are leaving some large holes in your story. Why did you not just call the police?" "…We were a little busy trying to stop him, we thought that we had it under control…" "Well, you were sorely mistaken then, weren't you?" _

"This is where it gets really great," Clark said, pulling up several videos side-by-side.

Cyborg's video played first, _"And who was this criminal you fought?" "I don't know, I didn't see his face." "You didn't see anything? Nothing that you could give us a description based off of?" "…No, he was wearing a mask, so I didn't see his face..." _The next screen played, this time Beast Boy was the one talking. "_So who was this criminal that just attacked you so suddenly? Were you able to identify him?" "Er, no… I didn't get a good look at his face… Like I said, I was knocked out pretty early…" "But you might have?" "What do you mean?" "Let me rephrase the question. Was he wearing a mask? Could you have seen his face if you weren't knocked out?" "Er….Yeah, I guess…." "So he wasn't wearing a mask?" "… Um, no, I don't think so…" _The video stopped and Clark played Raven's. "_Who was this criminal that you thought you saw?" "I don't know who he was." "So it wasn't who you were looking for, who you thought it was when you stopped?" "No." "Who did you think you saw, if I may ask?" "… Red X, the thief who had recently escaped from your station." "And who was it that you fought instead?" "…Like I said, I don't know…" _

Clark smiled as he sat back, looking at his friend with satisfaction. Vince exhaled in disbelief. "Looks like they dug themselves into a hole, doesn't it?" Vince said.

"It sure does."

* * *

Sorry you had to wait so long to see what happened, but the good news is that the semester is over in three weeks, which means a large cluster of chapters will be coming over Winter Break! Woop! Celebrate! And I promise that I won't give up on this story, I've just been super busy with papers...

Please don't hate me for the break-up, but it was necessary...

**Notes:**

I realize that the name Victor may be getting a little confusing. Just in case you were confused, the Victor in this chapter was Cyborg (his real name is Victor Stone in the comics) and the crime boss is Victor Wyatte.

**Character List:**

To prevent further confusion:

Clark Evans: Detective that Robin attacked at the bio-tech company that Beast Boy later visited. Has been featured in several chapters.

Vince: Clark's officer friend that has been aiding him in the investigation of Robin. Was visited by the Titans several chapters ago.

Derek: Acquaintance of Clark; works at the same police station.


	21. The Accused

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Here is a belated Christmas present to you all! Or an early New Years present, if that's how you want to take it.

Out with the old, and in with the new! Fitting for a new year! So here we go, a new beginning for the all five of the Titans is about to begin.

* * *

-New York: One year ago-

The Titans were collected from their cell sometime during the mid-afternoon. They silently filed into a line and followed several officers down the hallways. This time Derek was absent, thus they were not treated so personably. Beast Boy led the line and was the first to see where they were heading.

"Why are we going back to the interrogation rooms? I thought we were done!" he protested, stopping in front of the door to the room that he was held in before.

"Sorry kid," one of the officers apologized as he opened the door and led them in. Four chairs had been placed on one side of the table while only one sat across from them, already occupied by a man. They were all seated and cuffed to the table. Cyborg and Beast Boy were reluctant to be tied down again, but Starfire and Raven just took it without as much as a word. Beast Boy looked up at the man in the opposing chair. The look of complete shock was caught on camera as he looked at Clark. It was at that moment that he knew that it was all over. They were found out.

"Hello Beast Boy," he said brightly, "I am sorry for the unfortunate circumstances that we have to meet under." Cyborg glanced at Beast Boy, slightly confused. "Could you leave us?" Clark asked to the remaining police. They obliged quite willingly and left the Titans alone with him.

"I'm sorry officer, but I don't understand why we are still here…" Cyborg said, trying to mask his tiredness.

"Yes, well, I just had some follow up questions to ask you all. As you may know, I met Beast Boy earlier and we had a short chat about your reasons for being in New York." Beast Boy sighed in regret, trying to remember exactly what he had told the man before. "If you could, would you refresh me upon the reason that you came?"

"Er… We were looking for-"

"The criminal Red X," Raven cut in abruptly and resolutely. She glanced at Beast Boy, letting him see her face and giving him a look, telling him to shut up.

"Is that true?" Clark asked, looking at Beast Boy.

"Er, yes." He looked at the door, not wanting his eyes to give anything away.

"What do you have to say, Cyborg?"

"Yeah, he disappeared from our city about a year ago and we wanted to catch him for crimes that he had committed there… That's why we came when we heard he was here…" Cyborg lied, jumping on the bandwagon with surprising conviction.

"I see," Clark said, his face turning sour upon hearing the lie. "Because, I seem to recall Beast Boy telling me that you were here to find your missing teammate Robin." Beast Boy's face fell and Cyborg narrowed his eyes, not daring to look at his friend.

"I don't think I said that," Beast Boy sputtered.

"No, I definitely have that on record. You see, after the wreckage that was that street, I wondered, who could they have been fighting?" The camera picked up the loud gulp Beast Boy made and Raven shaking her head, still hiding her face. Starfire's face started twitching, threatening to break out into tears again.

"We _were _looking for him, but then again, when aren't we looking for him?" Cyborg started, remaining strong despite the circumstances. "It was a long shot… We thought that we could kill two birds in one stone: catch Red X and find Robin, but we failed… With both."

"So it wasn't Robin that you were fighting with last night?" he asked incredulously.

"No. If it was Robin, then he would be with us now…" Beast Boy added. "And he isn't, so… there you go." Starfire started crying again, trying desperately to hold back the tears after having already cried for so many hours. Clark immediately turned to her, seeing a weak spot in the story.

"What is it Starfire? Are they not telling the truth?" he asked softly. "If you tell me exactly who was involved last night, I promise this will all be over." Everyone looked at her, including Raven.

"You-you promise?" she sniffled. Clark put his hand on his heart and nodded while the other Titans stared wide eyed at her. "It-it was-"

"Star!" Beast Boy cut in, not caring that it was suspicious as hell.

"Don't interrupt her!" Clark barked, his hand slamming onto the didn't quite understand why he was so passionate about this case, but he was_._

"It was…. It was Slade," she choked out. "He and the Red X were working together to take over the city." Cyborg's jaw dropped for a moment before he caught himself.

"And how were they supposedly doing this?" Clark asked skeptically.

"They were taking over the organized crime, that is how we were able to find them," she lied. "When we did find the Red X in the New York, Slade went to kill the boss of the crime, so we tried to save him. Red X caught up with us and attacked us and…. And that's what we were fighting," she finished.

Clark sat back in his chair, thinking carefully. "Why didn't you just tell me that from the beginning?" he asked.

"B-because, we were afraid that-that he would attack the police," she sniffled. Raven squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head again. Beast Boy and Cyborg stared blankly at Clark, disbelieving of what a fantastic lie she had told on the spot.

"So you are officially declaring that Robin had nothing to do with this? And that it was Red X instead?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, wiping her nose on her arm. He nodded and stood up out of his chair.

"Thank you for your cooperation," he declared, gathering the tape from the camera and walking out of the room, leaving the Titans cuffed to the table in the room. Cyborg let his head drop and groaned, drowning in his thoughts. What had they gotten themselves into?

…

"Yes, I know, but these are special circumstances and therefore special measures must make be taken." The man in front of Clark took his words into consideration, mulling them through as he tried to come to a decision.

"Exactly how much proof do you have of their involvement?"

"Enough to place them at the street, not to mention that more evidence comes in every hour," Clark replied. "All I'm saying is that if we release them, we might not ever get them back. You must remember that they have powers and could easily just disappear after their release. Then who would pay for these crimes?" The man at the desk sighed, rubbing his balding head in contemplation.

"Do you think they are telling the truth about Slade being in town?" he asked, regarding the other officers around him.

"I'm not quite sure, but until I find out, I need them here."

"Why must you always make things so difficult Clark?" he grumbled. "Derek, what do you think?"

Derek jumped at the mention of his name. "Er, I don't know sir. I mean, we do need them to get a better picture about what happened. Although, is it necessary to hold them in detainment? I'm not quite certain…"

"You really think they'll run off?" he asked.

"Yes, I do sir. I think they are hiding something," Clark replied.

"Fine Clark, I will give you permission to make an exception this one time," he growled. "But I swear, if they turn out to have been telling the truth the whole time, I will have your badge." Clark nodded in thanks and left the room, not saying another word. Derek soon followed him out, unsure about what he was getting into.

…

"Can we go now?!" Cyborg asked agitatedly, sitting uncomfortably in his chair. They had been sitting in the interrogation room for hours now. _This couldn't be legal…_ The door opened and Beast Boy sighed in relief. They had been in detainment for almost twenty four hours now and were anxious to get the hell out of New York. Several of the officers who had led them before came in and unlocked them from the table, promptly locking their hands behind their backs again afterwards.

"Wait, what?!" Beast Boy shouted. "He promised that he would let us go if we said who we fought!" he yelled, struggling against the man holding his hands against his back.

"Yeah man! We told you everything, just like we said!" Cyborg said in outrage, allowing himself to be cuffed. Starfire was already being led out of the room, not defying them in any way, seemingly defeated. Raven made a throaty sound and looked around as if she was going to defy, but allowed herself to be led out as well.

Clark stood in the doorway, moving out of the way for the two girls. Beast Boy, still struggling against the officers, spotted him and gave him a look filled with acid. "What the hell?! We made a deal!" he shouted, being shoved forward by two officers.

"I'm sorry, but we need to keep you until we are done collecting evidence on the events," he replied, no apology in his voice. With a grunt of fury, Beast Boy was lugged out of the room, soon followed Cyborg tugging passively against his binds.

The four were placed into their own individual cells, each with at least two cells in between them. It was now late into the night and they were all exhausted from missing nearly two nights worth of sleep. After everyone had left the cell block, the four settled into their cells, ready to fall asleep on the cold ground.

"They do realize that we could easily just escape, right?" Beast Boy chuckled with inappropriate and exhaustion driven laughter. "I mean, Raven could literally just teleport us out of here…" he mumbled, receiving no reply since everyone knew the reason they were staying.

…

"_It appears that after the morning's events, the police have detained none other than the Teen Titans for participation in the mass destruction. This is of course not the first time that heroes have caused substantial damage to the public, however, this is the first time that they are suspected to be the cause of the crime. The police has tried to keep the investigation of the Titans under wraps, however, with all of the publicity that the event has received, it has made it nearly impossible. The question that lingers on everyone's mind now is: did they do it? Are the Titans really a threat or simply a group of heroes that were in the wrong place at the wrong time? We'll bring you more on the story later._

…

The night quickly passed as the Titans slept a rather un-peaceful sleep. The building was alive and busy all night, only to become busier after six in the morning. After such a major event in the city, the stations were bound to be in chaos. New bits of evidence and lab analyses were coming in around the clock while they tried to maintain a calm in the city. The mere fact that they hadn't found a person to point a finger at yet meant that they would be feeling the pressure from the press soon. Even the mayor wanted a scapegoat to pin it on, and that scapegoat would be the Titans. It would be decided without consultation of the police involved that they would become the face of a major smear campaign. The public needed someone to blame, so they would get several someones.

Meanwhile, Clark worked tirelessly on collecting and reviewing evidence. All he wanted was justice for what had been done, that plus the truth on what happened to Robin. Nothing seemed to make sense, no matter what he did or how he arranged it, it didn't add up. He was missing some important link in the chain, he just didn't know what it was. On top of that, the station had decided that he was going to be the face of the Titan smear campaign, something that he was not happy about. There were still many admirers of the Titans out there who were extremely dissatisfied with both the charges and with Clark.

The police kept the Titans locked up as the scapegoating began, leaving them unaware about what was happening, although they had their suspicions. They sat in their cells for nearly a week, only leaving for various recorded interrogations. When they thought that things just couldn't get worse, a lawyer came in to consult with them. He informed them of the various counts that they were looking at, including one for manslaughter. _Realistically, you are all looking at years in prison._

Clark was booted off the case when he argued against the charges, claiming that there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge them with manslaughter. Despite his need to find them guilty of something, he knew they were not murderers. Thus, the case was taken over by several officers that would follow whatever orders they received, which meant evidence getting overlooked and conveniently destroyed. Despite this development, Clark kept copies of all the evidence and stayed on the case as if it was still his. He was going to find the answers he wanted, just not legally.

…

"Hey, Cyborg?" Beast Boy asked, his voice unusually calm. He was sitting against the wall of his cell with his knees bent and his hands dangling over them.

"Yeah?" he heard from across the room.

"Did you ever think that things would turn out like this?" he asked amusedly, making it known that the question wasn't meant to be too serious.

"Nah, I certainly didn't think we'd end up in jail when we were planning last week," he chuckled, not letting the reality sink in and ruin the conversation.

"No, that's not what I meant," Beast Boy replied. He adjusted himself, looking over into Starfire's cell a few down from his. She was still lying on the floor, where she had been for the past few days.

"What d'you mean then?"

"I mean years ago, when we were just starting out as a team?" he clarified. This was something that he had been thinking about for a while now. "Did you ever picture it turning out like this?" The room went silent with a sudden seriousness as Cyborg felt all of the humor drain from his body.

"No, I certainly never thought it would turn out like this… Who would?" he replied, almost in a whisper.

"Yeah…" Beast Boy exhaled, gazing at the top of the bars in front of him. Raven was somewhere near Cyborg across the room and down the hall. He couldn't see her from here and only knew that she was there because he saw her being brought out for interrogation. "Who would have thought…"

…

"_Certainly these vigilantes have been getting away with their crimes for too long. This is only the first time that it is being brought to the public's attention, and that is why it is causing such outrage. Sure, they may call themselves heroes, but do they really do good? Is it acceptable to destroy a city to stop one person?"_

_ "Well, I think that depends on each individual's definition of good. For many, these heroes provide a sense of security in-"_

_ "So, we are willing to allow this just so that the public can feel a sense of security?"_

_ "Well, if they are providing it by stopping crime, then why not? If it takes the destruction of a street to save a few innocents, is that not a worthy price to pay?"_

_ "Billions of dollars' worth of damage to catch a common thief? Is that a worthy price to pay in your opinion?" _

_ "All I'm saying is that they might provide a valuable service to mankind. We cannot forget all the good that they have done for us, however I do agree that we need to do something about their methods. They do cause too much damage in their pursuits…"_

_ "And is it really worth it? Leveling buildings and blowing power lines can injure and even kill innocent bystanders, so why risk it? These heroes are becoming a menace and we need to stand up against them!"_

A click sounded as the TV turned off and Red X groaned, tossing the remote and picking up a newspaper. His masked face was plastered across the front page, _Destruction: All for the Pursuit of a Common Criminal?_ Only a few days after the Titans had been detained, the "official" story had come out that they had been fighting him, despite the fact that he was nowhere near there on that night. He was now famous, and not in the way that he wanted to be. He was going to have to move due to all the attention on him. And all thanks to the Titans and Clark Evans. With another groan, he took a swig out of the gin bottle in his hand, glaring down at a picture of Clark.

…

Finally, after a week and a half, the Titans were all brought out of their cells at the same time and discreetly taken across the street into another building. They were brought into a rather large courthouse where their supposed lawyer met them and lead them into a room that barely passed off for a courtroom.

"Are we on trial now?" Beast Boy asked dejectedly.

"Don't worry, I made a deal, under the table kind of thing," their lawyer said, placing his hand reassuringly on Beast Boy's shoulder. The four sat down into large chairs in the middle of the room and waited patiently for whatever was to come next. Soon, a man in a suit entered with several documents in hand. The Titans all regarded him as the door shut, leaving them with only him and their lawyer. "Sir," he said, bowing his head slightly. The man grunted in reply and opened a file.

"What is this?" Beast Boy whispered to Cyborg, not gaining any attention from either of the men in the room. Cyborg didn't reply, but kept his sight on the file, watching in unease. He had a feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worst.

"Okay kids, I'm just going to cut to the chase," the man said abruptly, crossing his hands and looking at the Titans. Beast Boy and Cyborg looked nervous, but Starfire just stared forward, barely paying attention. "Your involvement in the events that occurred last week are more than condemnable, and I'm sure that you deserve worse punishment than this, but your lawyer managed to work you up a pretty fine deal, so I would take it if I were you." The lawyer smiled, proud of his accomplishment.

"Here we go. The Titans are herein acquitted of all charges, including manslaughter, upon fulfillment of the following clauses: each Titan is to maintain their position and whereabouts with the United States government," he began, receiving sighs of relief from Beast Boy and Cyborg. "Each Titan is to stop all vigilante activities and return to a 'normal' life, including no longer wearing a costume or mask pending lawful punishment. Each Titan is to work for a set amount of hours to pay for some of the substantial damages that have been done to the city. And lastly, each Titan is to not be within at least one hundred miles of another Titan, pending lawful punishment," he finished, looking up from his paper.

"What?!" Beast Boy shouted, looking around at his friends. Raven was now looking up at them and Starfire had come out of her stupor. She looked completely stunned. "What do you mean we can't be within one hundred miles of each other?!"

"Seeing as your vigilante group has caused damage to your home town before, we just cannot risk that you might reform the team and continue on with your habitual destruction," he explained. Beast Boy turned to his lawyer in complete fury, Cyborg joining in with outrage.

"That's complete bullshit!" Beast Boy shouted. Cyborg grabbed his arm and pulled him back, trying to calm him down.

"Hey man, I know that this has been an ordeal for everyone, but don't you think that's a little unnecessary? I mean, I understand having us not be a team anymore, but we are friends, we can't just leave each other," Cyborg explained, trying to appease the man.

"As I see it, you should be happy that you all won't be placed in separate prisons."

"We are all that we have. None of us have anyone else, so please, we promise that we won't do anything as heroes again. Just let us stay together, as our civilian selves," Beast Boy pleaded, looking at his silent teammates. They couldn't break up, they had to stay together. Cyborg didn't have any family, Beast Boy couldn't return to the Doom Patrol now, Raven wasn't exactly fond of her family, and Starfire would have to leave the planet to get to family. They needed each other more than they needed anything else. No matter what they had faced, they had always been okay because they faced it together, and now they were all going to be alone.

"Please sir, you can check in on us whenever you want. You can even put trackers on us, just don't separate us!" The man looked at Beast Boy, hearing his desperate offer.

"Oh, we will be tracking you," he said. A single tear fell down Starfire's face as she began to shut down. "I'm going to need you all to sign the agreement. The sooner you sign, the sooner you will be released." The man pushed the document towards them and stood up, collecting his things.

…

"They can't make us separate! We are a team! We are family!" Beast Boy shouted in a panic, pacing back and forth in the small room. Their lawyer and the judge had left the room to let them discuss the deal, of course while under supervision from several other officers. Cyborg stared dejectedly at his friend, knowing there was no way out of this. "This is such bull! We aren't going to sign, we'll just, we'll-"

"Beast Boy," Cyborg interrupted, walking towards him and placing his hand on his shoulder. Beast Boy looked into his eye, seeing what he was thinking, and began shaking his head.

"No-"

"Beast Boy," Cyborg reasoned, his voice catching.

"NO!" Beast Boy shouted, tears welling in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Beast Boy, but…" Cyborg paused, sighing, "…we have to do this…" He pulled his friend into a hug. Beast Boy pushed away and Cyborg turned towards the two girls behind him, nodding at them and approaching the desk. Beast Boy gaped at Cyborg as he signed the contract, dropping the pen in defeat. He turned to face Beast Boy, indicating for him to sign.

"I'm not signing that! Nothing will ever make me sign that!"

"Beast Boy, just do it, please," Cyborg pleaded.

"Why?! Why are you giving in? Are you really that weak that you are ready to give up?"

"No Beast Boy, I'm not giving up. The truth is, I'm doing this for you… I'm doing this for all of you," Cyborg answered, pain in his voice.

"How could this possibly be for me?!" he shouted, sobs breaking through his words.

"If we don't sign this, then we all go to prison. Not only that, but this press would just get worse. There wouldn't be a city in the U.S. that wouldn't know that the Titans are criminals. There wouldn't be a city in the U.S. that wouldn't hate us all, and I don't want that for you Beast Boy. All you ever wanted was for the world to be a better place and I don't want the world thinking that you are anything less than that amazing person. I'm so sorry that this is how it has to be, but this is the only way that I can think to protect you. It's the only way that I can think to give you a chance at a good life…" Cyborg explained, effectively quieting the room and turning Beast Boy's anger into shock and guilt. He opened his mouth, but could find no words to express how he was feeling.

Cyborg pulled Beast Boy into a hug again. "You be strong for me, BB," he said, making the farewell real. He turned to Raven and grabbed her hand. "Raven… thank you for your years of friendship and never forget that no matter how far apart we all are, you will always have friends." It wasn't much, be he couldn't think of what else to say. She knew how important she was to him and how much he cared for her. Words weren't necessary. Raven nodded, not looking up from her cloak from fear of them seeing her face.

"And Starfire, I am so, so sorry that this is what happened. You have always been the light of this team; don't ever let that change," he said, turning to walk towards the officers. If he stayed behind any longer, he would break down in front of them all, which would just make it harder. "You guys are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he finished, leaving without a single glance back.

…

"_It appears that a verdict has been reached on the Titan case. The team has been ordered to split up, leaving Jump City without a vigilante group to govern it. It has yet to be determined whether or not this is good for the city, however most of the citizens disagree with the decision."_

_ "Now that the Teen Titans have split, they will be hanging up their capes for a more ordinary suit and tie. Will this dissolution of heroics in Jump City be celebrated or will the Titans be missed. And if they are, will they ever come back? Who will protect the city during the next attack?"_

_ "This just proves that the government is too involved in citizens' lives. Not only are the Titans banned from wearing capes, but also from any type of heroic activity. Say they see a citizen getting mugged, can they help? No! They must stand by and watch. What kind of message is this sending to the public? Do we really want a society of people who just stand by and watch the atrocities around them?"_

_ "This is not an attack on moral upstanding, no, not at all. This is an attack on unlicensed and untrained law enforcement. People cannot just wear a cape and decide to go out and police others, that is not how things work. What this is telling society is that you must be properly licensed to enforce the law. You must have training and you must have reason!"_

…

"Clark."

"Yes, sir?"

"Come into my office." With a glance at his co-workers, Clark walked towards his boss' office amidst hurried whispers. The station was calmer than it had been over the past week, but was still buzzing with the aftermath of the damage. Not only were they stuck with claims of personal injury by witnesses, but also with claims for destroyed property by both citizens and companies. It seemed that one of the major insurance companies that covered a large portion of buildings on the east side of the city had fled before claims could be made, thus leaving many with no money to replace that which was damaged. This left the government to try to track down what happened to the insurance company and where the money had gone. Combined with the Titan situation, the station was overbooked and consistently under the watch of the press.

"Sir?" Clark began, shutting the door to the office behind him and taking a seat. The room was full of papers and files sitting everywhere in a disorganized mess.

"Clark, as you know the station is under much scrutiny right now with everything that has been going on this past week." Clark nodded in response, waiting for his boss to get to the real point. "And as you have been the public face of the Titan trial-"

"Which I didn't ask for," Clark cut in.

Narrowing his eyes, the man continued, "despite the fact that you were ordered off of the case. Anyways, the whole thing brought a shit ton of bad press to our door."

"With all due respect sir, I did not ask to be the face of this campaign. In fact, I did not even ask for the Titans to be publically shamed as they have, I just wanted to investigate them."

"Yes, I know your motivations Clark. That is beside the point, it does not change the fact that the public is fostering a negative view of our station because of it." The man stopped and grabbed a nearby file, looking through it arbitrarily. "You want to know what baffles me Clark?"

"What is that, sir?' he replied, acid in his tone.

"The fact that this case has evidence from before it started…. It seems odd that you had already started a file on the Titans before this week. Can you explain that?"

Clark started twiddling his thumbs in nervousness. "I had… well, I had met the young green one a little while ago and after talking to him, thought it best to pursue the possibility of-"

"Of?" Clark remained silent, glancing down at his hands momentarily before looking up with strong conviction in his eye.

"Why does it matter when the case was started? So what, I suspected that the Titans might be here for ulterior motivations… and I was right! So, why does it matter?"

"It matters because if you had reported it sooner, we might have been able to prevent the damage by detaining them before it all happened," his boss replied, turning his words against him.

"What!? I obviously did not have enough evidence to have them detained! If I had done anything, I would have gotten fired for gross negligence!" Clark defended. He knew that this had nothing to do with not reporting the early stages of his investigation.

"The point is that you did not report your findings! You can't just hold an investigation without reporting it! You know that Clark." Clark sighed and nodded, knowing that that was at least valid.

"I was waiting to see if I even had a case first, I didn't know what they would end up doing. They are heroes, how was I to expect that?"

"Ugh, Clark. I'm sorry, but with all the pressure that is on this department right now, we just can't tolerate a mistake like that." Clark could feel his heart accelerating and sucked in a breath, trying to stop his boss before the words came out. "We're going to have to let you go."

"Sir!"  
"No, Clark. This is not up for debate! We have had problems like this before with you and we can't just turn the other way. Hand over your badge and pack your things, we expect you to be out by the end of the day."

"I know what this is really about! I'm just the scapegoat! You tell the press that this mess was my fault and that you terminated me as a result. This way the _office_ is in the clear!"

His boss lowered his eyes, "I'm sorry, Clark." Clark stood up and marched towards the door, throwing his badge on the ground as he did so.

"Sacrifice one for the team, I get it," he spat, slamming the door behind him. The sheer injustice of it, putting it all on him when he was the only reason that they were investigating the Titans in the first place. If it hadn't been for his will, they would have never convicted the Titans, they would have never suspected them for committing any sort of crimes. Then again, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the kids. He had never intended to break them up, disband their heroics yes, but not end their friendship. They may have been guilty of being careless, but they certainly weren't criminals. This was never his plan, all he wanted was to find out what happened to Robin and why they were so dicey when talking about him. And now, he ruined it all for them. Now, he may never know what happened to Robin. Without meaning to, he had probably just ruined several young lives. And without knowing it, he had just doomed Robin to another year's service.

Paris: Present Day

In a tucked away corner of the road lie a corpse, bleeding profusely onto the street. Blood trailed into the cobblestone of the ground, filling the cracks with thick crimson. The body lie on its stomach, its limbs splayed out awkwardly while a tall shadow fall upon it. Standing several feet away was the newly mask-less Robin, his sword dripping the dark red blood, each drop making a splash in the already formed pool. A madness glinted in his eye as he turned around to face the woman trembling in the corner. With a demented half smile, he advanced upon her, the sword tight in his grip.

* * *

As usual, thank you for all of your reviews and support. The next chapter will mark the beginning of a whole new part in all of the Titans lives, just as the new year begins. Didn't plan the timing to work out like that, but whatever.

Hopefully I'll see you all soon!


	22. Falling Into Darkness

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

I apologize that after such a dark and depressing chapter such as the last that there will be another consecutive dark and depressing chapter... Sometimes I feel like the story is too dark, but that is how it needs to go... Hopefully things will get slightly cheerier soon... _hint hint..._

Also, we are almost to 50 followers! Super excited about that!

* * *

-Paris: One Week after New York-

Robin stood in the new ops room, watching the news on the computer screen that was mounted to the wall. The room was full to the brim with unpacked boxes. He and Slade hadn't planned on arriving in Paris until at least another few weeks, therefore their base had not been set up. After arriving, they unpacked only the necessities. Robin had expected Slade to try to unpack everything within a day, but he seemed slightly distracted. He hadn't seen Slade since they first arrived and assumed that he had locked himself in his room to plan their next move.

Robin focused on the screen, his eyes narrowing in a dead stare. "_It appears that a verdict has been reached on the Titan case. The team has been ordered to split up, leaving Jump City without a vigilante group to govern it. It has yet to be determined whether or not this is good for the city, however most of the citizens disagree with the decision." _He had followed the entire Titan case in New York, learning of their cover story and the Red X lie. They had protected him and it had cost them their freedom. They had lost their friendship, all to protect a ghost. He couldn't help but think that they were rather stupid, clouded by sentiment. Even if they had admitted that it was him, it wasn't like anyone would ever track him and Slade down; that wasn't possible. It took the Titans two years of exhaustive effort just to find him after he had made obvious mistakes, and he was not about to blow their position again. They had risked everything to get him back in New York and even after he had practically killed them, they still put themselves on the line to protect him. He didn't understand it, he may have in the past, but not now.

He clenched his eyes shut, taking a deep breath and thinking back to when he first saw them in New York. He followed them for quite a while before making contact, much to Slade's dismay, not that Robin cared. It wasn't like Slade was any threat to him, he couldn't do anything to hurt him any more than he already had.

Upon seeing the Titans, he had expected to feel overwhelmed. At the beginning of his apprenticeship, he had thought that seeing them would feel amazing, that his rescue would be glorious, like he would finally be free again. But now, he didn't feel anything towards them. Quite frankly, he didn't even know why he gave them a chance to escape in the first place, why he didn't just kill them on the spot. It wasn't like he felt any sort of kindness towards them. Perhaps something deep inside of him held him back out of respect for their previous relationship?

He just didn't understand why he felt absolutely nothing. He had expected to at least feel something, whether it be anger, happiness, hatred, resentment… anything… That was what surprised him most of all. Not the fact that they found him, but that he didn't feel any sort of emotion towards them. It was as if they were strangers. He was incapable of feeling towards them… He was incapable of feeling anything towards anything anymore.

The newswoman started getting excited as the doors to the courtroom opened, jumping towards the first Titan at the door. Cyborg's face was scrunched in obvious anguish as he walked swiftly out of the courtroom. The woman tried to follow him and ask questions, but he practically flew out of the crowd at the speed that he was walking, shoving the newscasters away from him. Before she could get a word, Cyborg was in a car and driving off to the city he was assigned to live in. Soon afterwards, Raven walked out, stopping in front of the doorway and standing still, hiding under her cloak as usual. The reporters were about to swarm her when Beast Boy ran out of the door, glancing around before running towards Raven. He grabbed her arm and tried to make her turn towards him. He was shouting at her and pulling her towards him, but she refused to face him and pulled her arm back. What he was saying was not caught on camera, but the reporters edged closer to try to hear.

"_Raven! Don't!" "Beast Boy, let go of me!" "Please." _With one last jerk of her arm, he let go. Before he could grab her arm again, she swooped her cloak and disappeared into a cloud of black magic. A swarm of officers started shouting at Beast Boy, pulling him away from the courthouse. "_Where did she go?! She agreed to maintain her position with the United States government! She can't just disappear like that!" _Beast Boy argued back, tears streaming down his face as they tugged him back towards the courthouse, no longer taking him to the car. "_Tell us where she went!" "I don't know!" _The driver of his car shut the door and started walking towards the courthouse, watching as the men tugged Beast Boy along.

The camera swooped over to the courthouse door again as it opened. This time, Starfire was being led out by a man holding her arm. Her eyes were glazed over and her face was blank as she walked willingly with him. After several moments, she locked eyes with Beast Boy, seeing her teammate for what was going to be the last time. The screen switched to Beast Boy's face, showing the complete and total agony that resided on it, before switching back to Starfire. The two locked eyes, sharing a meaningful glance before she blinked and looked away. She thought back to that night just a few weeks ago when she and Beast Boy had played video games. He had been so happy and now, seeing the misery on his face made the remaining fire inside of her burn out. The pain was too great, she couldn't handle it. Beast Boy watched as her face went from pain to nothing within a moment. He turned his head around as far as he could while they dragged him through the doors, trying to keep eye contact. Starfire was tugged along through the crowd of reporters before she willingly got into her car, no longer looking at her friend. The camera caught his last teary-eyed glance as he watched the car zoom away before switching back to the news reporter. Robin muted the volume and leaned back, resting his head on his arms.

Even after seeing that, he didn't feel anything towards them. He wouldn't necessarily say that they deserved it, but he did tell them to go home before it was too late. This was their fault, it only happened because of their actions, and now they had to own up to the consequences. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen to Jump City with no heroes to watch over it. It would probably become like every other city that him and Slade had taken over. Maybe one day they would go for Jump, some several years from now. Slade had always wanted Jump for his own, and now with the Titans gone, it was prime territory to take.

The door slammed open and Slade strode in the room resolutely. Looking around, he saw that it looked the same as it did the last time he had seen it, packed boxes everywhere. Robin swiveled his chair around and faced Slade, his feet up on the table next to the computer.

"This is an absolute mess, what have you been doing for the past few days?" the man grunted, knocking a box over as he approached his apprentice. "And I know that you haven't trained since the gym is still packed in boxes." Robin huffed, switching his legs on the desk and watching Slade sit on the box he had knocked over.

"That had a screen in it," he said casually, referring to the box Slade was sitting on.

"You'll steal another one," Slade replied, regarding Robin's casualness. He honestly didn't mind, he just didn't want Robin becoming lazy or forgetting his place. "We have a change in plans."

"Yeah?"

"We can't proceed with our mission as usual. This city is going to be different, we are going to have to lay low for a while. For now, we will remain here, but we won't make any moves on the city yet."

"Makes sense," Robin affirmed, pulling his feet off the desk and turning towards the screen.

"We will continue to run the others, but discreetly, not making any big moves or advances. We will leave New York to sit for right now and will start implementing the changes there at a later time. I want us to make the least amount of appearances possible for a while. You will go on missions if necessary, but know this: you _must_ kill any witnesses. We cannot have anyone be alive to bear witness to your face," he explained, his voice gruff. He wasn't exactly happy that Robin was no longer wearing his mask since it would make it easier to identify him, but he trusted Robin and figured that he had at least earned some freedom in his choice in mission wear.

"No problem," Robin replied darkly, his hair covering his eyes as he looked down. Slade looked over Robin's shoulder at the news.

"Watching the aftermath of New York? I assume you have been keeping a close eye on the Titans?" he asked, his tone unclear as to what he meant by it. "They didn't pin it on you," he said softly. "After all of that, they must still care for you."  
"What of it?" Robin barked, his tone sharp. Slade heard a hint of resentment in Robin's voice, not knowing exactly where it was placed. Despite his empty exterior, Slade wasn't entirely sure that Robin was incapable of feeling. It seemed as though he purposefully shut himself down, but sometimes certain emotions shone through in his actions, whether he knew they were there or not. However, he was pretty sure that Robin wasn't aware of them. Perhaps suppressing them internally was what made them come out externally. That was, of course, only Slade's opinion since he had no way of knowing what was really going on inside of Robin.

"Nothing," Slade replied, standing up. Using a parental and condescending tone, he walked forward, "And clean this up. I expect the entire base to be unpacked within a day." He walked out of the room, leaving Robin to sit for a few minutes before getting up to unpack the ops room.

-Paris: Three Months after New York-

Robin jumped in the air, roundhouse kicking at Slade's head, nearly making contact. Barely ducking in time, Slade swung his arm, wrapping it around Robin's neck and pulling him down abruptly to the ground. With a heavy thud, Robin landed on his back, the breath knocked out of him. Slade stood up, looking down at him. He watched as Robin coughed several times, his chest heaving as he tried to gain his breath.

"Take a break, we'll resume training tomorrow," Slade ordered in a resolute tone. Robin's arms shook as he lifted himself from the ground, his back cracking back into place as he stood.

"No," Robin growled, lifting his arms in defense and preparing to strike. Slade's eyebrows raised and he stood his ground, keeping his arms by his sides and remaining defenseless.

"Robin, you've had enough, we're done. Take a break. That's an order." The two had been fighting for nearly an hour and Robin had already sustained substantial damages. His lip was cut and bleeding and he already had several boot shaped bruises along his torso, however he was still up and fighting. Ignoring Slade's command, Robin lunged, kicking his master in the shins. With a growl, Slade went for Robin's arms.

"I said we were done," Slade huffed, trying to restrain him. Robin flailed and fought against Slade with a mad determination, having more heart than Slade had seen him fight with in a long time.

"What happened to the days where you would fight me until I was nearly dead?" Robin spat, pulling Slade forward and kicking him in the chest. "Have you gone soft?"

That had done it, Slade was not going to hold back. "Fine, Robin, if you want it, then you'll get it." He swiftly landed a punch in Robin's shoulder and locked his arm around his torso, spinning him around and throwing him to the ground again. Robin landed on his toes and slid a few feet across the floor before running back towards Slade. _What is he doing? _

"Come on, is that all you got?" Robin mocked. Why was he acting like this? He hadn't asked for more in combat training in years, let alone spoke at all. Normally Robin only spoke to convey important information, and he certainly never talked back anymore.

Slade, sick of Robin's games, ran towards him, distracting him from his real plan of attack. Pretending to go for a side sweep, Slade watched Robin prepare for it before quickly changing course and hitting Robin in the ribs. He heard Robin's pained breath as he pulled his fist back, preparing to hit the boy again and end the fight.

"Harder!" Robin coughed, clutching his ribs. "Hit me harder!" Slade's eye widened and he backed up, his hand remaining in the air. _Was he asking to be beaten? _He lowered his hand, concern spreading across his face in a way that Robin had never seen before.

"We're done here," he said resolutely, looking at Robin for one last moment before swiftly walking away.

"Come back here and hit me!" Robin screamed, hearing the door slam shut as he continued to clutch his ribs. Looking down at the ground, he furrowed his face in anger and started to growl. Before he could fully recover, he jumped up and kicked the nearest heavy bag as hard as he could, nearly knocking it off of its hook. "Son of a bitch!"

-Paris: Four Months after New York-

Robin paced through the kitchen, unable to sit still for more than one moment. He hadn't been on a mission for over a month and was desperate to blow off some steam. He didn't care what he was doing, he didn't even care if Slade sent him on an assassination. Watching as he took the life of another would certainly make him feel something, right? All he wanted was to feel something, anything. Ever since New York, all he had wanted was to feel again. He had allowed himself to go numb to protect himself and his friends, but he couldn't seem to come out of it. He didn't know it would be permanent, or else he would have never allowed it. Of course it was the only way to cope with his life, but now he couldn't stand it. He hated seeing others feel so many things when he was a walking shell of a being. He didn't care if what he felt was complete anger or despair, at least that would be something. That was all he wanted.

Stopping suddenly, he stared at the sink, making a decision on the spot. _Fine, if I can't feel emotionally, I'll make myself feel physically._ At least pain would be better than nothing. Deciding to go with it, he ran towards the sink and turned the water on, turning the knob until it was at its hottest. Without hesitation, he plunged his hand under the water, waiting to feel his skin burn.

"Come on…" he whispered, waiting for the pain to affect him. He could feel it, but it didn't bother him. Why didn't it bother him? Perhaps it wasn't hot enough. That must be it, if it was hotter, then he would feel it. Leaving the water, he walked over to the stove and grabbed a kettle, filling it with water from the sink. He put it on the burner and watched as the fire began to warm it, his leg shaking in impatience. "Come on…" Deciding to not wait any longer, he placed his hand on the kettle and waited for it to burn. _Nothing._

"Son of a bitch!" he shouted, shoving the kettle off of the stove, the hot water splashing all over him as the kettle loudly fell to the ground. Hearing the commotion, Slade entered the kitchen, taking note of the scene and of Robin's severely burned hands.

"What are you doing?" he asked condescendingly. Robin turned to face him, a deranged look in his eye, before shoving past him in a huff. "Where are you going?" he shouted, receiving no reply. With a sigh, Slade picked up the kettle and placed it on the stove before turning off the burner. He had noticed a serious change in Robin's behavior ever since New York and didn't really know what to do with it. Robin had become seriously perturbed and reckless, no longer being the composed assassin that he knew. That was part of the reason he had neglected to send Robin on a mission lately, he was scared that he would blow it. His outbursts had become regular and he was bent on self-destruction. This hadn't been the first time that he had caught Robin mutilating himself in some way and whenever he brought it up with Robin, he would just storm off.

He honestly felt like he was dealing with a moody teenager that could not control his emotions. Robin needed to knock it off if he was going to continue being Slade's apprentice. And he wasn't about to let him go for attitude problems. Of course, he couldn't help but be slightly worried. He could see the internal struggle within Robin. It was worse than when he had just started out his career as an assassin. Then, he obviously struggled with the fact that he was a murderer, but he got over it. But now, Slade wasn't quite so sure what the problem was. Robin was picking fights with Slade for no reason whatsoever and the deranged look in his eye was far beyond normal. Their usual dead look had gotten even worse now that they had a demented spark to them. Slade was sure that Robin was waiting to kill somebody, something he never thought he would live to see. He never thought Robin would get to the point that he would eagerly kill, yet he could see it. He could see the bloodlust in Robin's eyes and what terrified him most was that he didn't know where it came from.

-Paris: Five Months after New York-

Robin huffed, his breath fogging the glass as he leaned his face on the bathroom mirror. With a clench of his fist, he dug the glass into his arm as deep as he could, his fist dripping blood from the tight grip on the shard. A smooth stream flowed down his arm and pooled into the inside of his elbow, dripping off after overflowing in the notch. He unclenched his fist, preparing to let the glass fall out of his hand. With a suctioning sound, the shard slowly loosened and fell out of his hand, falling onto the white tiled floor. He looked up in the mirror, breathing heavily and scrunching his face in anger. _Why am I so dead inside?!_

Robin began to feel lightheaded as the room started moving. He grasped the sink, taking frequent and shallow breaths, and looking at his arm. There was a lot of blood, more than he was used to seeing coming out of himself. The last time he had bled this much was when he was shot in New York. The familiar faint feeling offered him some comfort, it was odd, but he didn't care. He collapsed to the floor, watching the room go dark as Slade burst in.

-Paris: Present Day-

Robin walked through the storage room, kicking a box over casually as he walked. They had been in Paris for a year and Robin had been on a grand total of two missions, both simple and short. Too easy for his taste. His entire life consisted of training and books. He had reluctantly picked up on several more languages, including French. Slade wanted him to be able to communicate with their workers in every city they maintained, which meant he would need French one day. _One day…_ He began to doubt that they would ever take over Paris or continue with their plans. Slade had chickened out, he was too scared to make a move, so they just sat there doing nothing… Robin kicked another box, this time hard enough to send it flying into a wall. Why was he such a coward?! It had been a year! That was long enough, no one was even looking for them! The Titans were broken up and had learned their place, they wouldn't be coming after him ever again. So, why wait any longer?

Deciding to no longer put up with wasting time, Robin stormed down the hall and into the ops room. Slade sat in front of a computer, watching over Berlin's affairs. At least he still maintained power in their conquered cities.

"Slade!" Robin shouted. "I am sick of sitting around and doing nothing!" Slade lifted his hand to silence Robin, looking at the screen intently. With a huff, Robin walked towards him. "Hey! I said-"

"I heard what you said, Robin, and I don't have time to deal with your whining, so go and train," Slade replied, barely paying attention to the boy. Robin opened his mouth, about to unleash a storm upon Slade, but instead took in a deep breath, his eyes changing. With an odd smirk, he turned around and left the room. His pace slowed as he strolled down the hall and entered the garage. Without hesitation, he slammed his hand on the door opener and pulled his helmet on.

"Fuck you, Slade," he growled, pulling out onto the road before Slade realized what was going on. For the next half hour, Robin rode along the streets, not going anywhere in particular. He realized that he still had his training gear on, which meant that he wouldn't blend in on the streets, not that he cared much. Seeing a crowded corner, he pulled over and parked, acting upon impulse. It appeared that it was lunch time as the giant crowd made their way into the pizza parlor. _Of all the places to stop._

Robin made his way towards the shop, knowing that he had no money. He wasn't hungry, yet something pulled him to it. Approaching the door, he stopped, looking up at the building. He couldn't go in, he just couldn't. Something about it wasn't right, he wasn't meant to be here. Leaving the crowd of people, he began to walk down the street, leaving his bike. All around were busy people, walking quickly and paying little attention to the world around them. Robin wished he could be so busy that he didn't have time to think. _If only_… Maybe that was his whole problem, he just had too much time to think. It had never bothered him before when he was busy conquering cities.

He caught small pieces of French here and there, easily translating it in his mind, but never listening in long enough to hear a whole conversation. For nearly an hour, he just wandered the streets, finally seeing the city that he had lived in for a year now. He hadn't really realized that he lived here since he never got to go out. He felt like he was still in New York, just without all the problems. Some part of him would have rather been back in New York, following the Titans and trying to kill Victor. At least then there was a goal in mind.

Through all the noise and crowds of people, Robin heard a voice. A single voice calling out, shouting. It seemed that no one else heard it, but he was certain that he heard a voice calling out for help. Following it with a casual curiosity, Robin began to search, looking down all the streets that he passed. It seemed to become louder as he approached a business complex. Yes, he definitely heard a scream for help. Inspecting the wall between a bakery and a clothing store, he noticed a small separation between the buildings. It was only wide enough to squeeze through sideways, but it was definitely the source of the screaming.

The voice was muffled and female. He squeezed through the crack, edging silently towards an opening. The crevice widened into what looked like a blocked off courtyard, completely covered in weeds and garbage. In the middle, on the ground, was a man straddling a woman and trying to restrain her arms. Her mouth was gagged with some sort of cloth and her face was bruised from what Robin assumed was the man's fists. Not noticing the onlooker, the man continued to force the woman down, punching her before finally tying her wrists together. Robin stayed in his spot, watching, knowing what was going to happen. The woman's face was streaked with tears and makeup as she finally gave up and squeezed her eyes shut. Noting her defeat, the man grunted and began to unbutton her pants, groping at her frantically. Robin didn't quite know what he was doing, just standing there, and even thought about leaving, but something inside of him sparked. Seeing the man yank her jeans down finally threw Robin out of his daze.

Before the man even knew what had happened, Robin was on top of him, pulling him backwards off of the woman. She began screaming into her gag and started crawling back into the corner. Robin pulled a chunk of the man's hair out before punching him repeatedly. Even the woman was shocked as she watched Robin brutalize this man with such intensity. Punch after punch he threw, mangling the man's face until he could barely breathe.

Robin sat up, blood splattered on his face, and huffed loudly. He looked down at the bloody mess that he had just made without an ounce of regret or pity on his face. Pulling off his jacket, Robin reached for something on his back, not paying any mind to the woman watching him. The sound of metal scraping against concrete filled the courtyard and the woman's eyes widened as she saw Robin grip the large sword. The man made a gurgling sound as he tried to breathe, blood filling his mouth. He couldn't open his eyes to see what was coming, but Robin made sure he knew. Caressing the man's arm gently with the sword, Robin looked down at his face, tilting his head with an odd expression on his features. He heard a small whimper come from the man and with a small curve of his lips, he plunged the sword into the man's chest. A cry of pain mixed with a whimper filled the air. Robin sat on top of the man, taking it all in before twisting the blade inside of him slowly, savoring the movement. He was sure that that had done it. The cry of pain ceased and the man fell limp, his mouth bubbling with blood.

Robin let go of the sword, leaving it inside of the body, and leaned back, looking up to the sky. He had wanted to let out his aggression for so long now, had wanted to kill. Committing murder would certainly make him feel something, even if it was just a thrill. Yet, he didn't feel anything. Nothing at all. The entire time, he felt numb, like he was just floating along in space, doing nothing. He didn't feel anger, despite his actions, and he didn't feel a thrill, despite the adrenaline pulsing through his body. So, what was it? What was the problem? If that couldn't make him feel, nothing would. Everything he had done so far had been unsuccessful, so what was the point? He didn't want to continue this way, but there was nothing he could do about it… _Nothing_…

The woman stood up and slowly approached the boy, terrified that he might attack her. He had just saved her, but the way that he did it made her think that he might actually be a threat instead of a savior. What was the most odd was the way that he was just staring into the sky, his face blank despite the fact that it was covered in another man's blood. _What was wrong with him?_ She was about several feet from him, reaching her arm out to carefully prod him, when his eyes flashed with something and he looked back down. She jumped back, surprised by the sudden movement. Robin's face contorted into an odd expression as he quickly pulled the sword back out of the man, jumping up to stand. The woman ran backwards, hitting the wall and falling down onto the ground in the corner. With a _thud_, Robin kicked the body over so that it lay on its stomach, standing over it.

He stood there for a moment before abruptly looking over to the woman, a look of complete insanity in his eyes. Before she could react, he walked towards her, his sword dragging on the ground lazily. She felt frozen in place, too scared to even move. There was something seriously wrong with this man. What it was she did not know, but she was prepared to die. Out of the hands of a rapist, and into the hands of a murderer.

Robin stared at her for what felt like an eternity. She could tell that he was contemplating something, most likely whether or not to kill her. Before she could plead with him, his eyes reverted back to their normal dead selves and he lifted his sword. She flinched, but quickly opened her eyes as she heard him sheath the bloody sword behind his back, not seeming to care that it was getting all over his clothes.

"Get out of here," Robin said, his voice monotonous, yet soft. "And forget my face," he added, this time more forcefully. The woman opened her mouth, shocked at what just happened.

"S-sir? You- you're letting me go?" she asked shakily, disbelief in her voice. Robin blinked and turned around, looking at the bleeding body as he walked towards the crack in the wall. "W-wait!" she shouted, standing up and running after him, but keeping space between them. Robin stopped, standing in front of the crack. She slowed and stood a distance away, wary of him. "You saved my life."

Robin turned his head towards her, "What about it?"

"I- I, just… thank you…"

"Don't thank me," he replied, his voice low and quiet.

"What do you mean? You just saved my life," she shrieked, louder than she intended to.

"I'm just as bad as him," he replied stiffly, nodding towards the body before slipping through the crack.

…

Robin jumped on his bike and sped back to the base amidst shocked glances. He was covered in blood from head to toe. He wasn't too worried about anyone identifying him though, he had moved too fast. He put his body on auto-pilot and before he knew it, he was back at the base, his excursion over. That had certainly not gone according to plan, not that he had a plan, but if he did, that would not have been it. Not only did killing do nothing for him, but he also left a witness who got a good look at his face. _You must kill any witnesses. _His orders specifically stated to kill anyone who saw his face and he had just failed miserably. He didn't know why he let her live, she meant nothing to him. Sure, she was most likely innocent and not going to tell anyone, but if she did, Slade would have a field day on him. He might just actually kill him.

Robin stormed down the hallway, leaving a blood trail from his shoes and dripping sword. His hair covered his eyes and he looked down at his feet, letting them guide him. He specifically went the long way to his room so as to avoid Slade's wrath for the moment. He wasn't really in the mood for pain right now. Knowing that he had little time before Slade came looking for him, he locked himself in his bathroom and started to strip off his gear.

Even murder meant nothing now, was he incapable of feeling guilt? It was as if he just took a stroll through the park, no big deal. Why was it that he lived in a void of nothingness? What did he have to do to feel _something_?! An idea that had been lingering in his mind finally made its way to the surface. He had been debating about trying this for months now, with his first few experiments being over the past few months. He had never gone far enough for it to take effect, but this time, he wasn't going to hold back. With whole-hearted conviction, Robin unlocked the door to the bathroom and walked into the bedroom. Spotting the wardrobe, he briskly strolled across the floor, reaching for one of the drawers. He began to sort through his undergarments. He had hid it there knowing that Slade would not likely search through them. At the bottom, under a particularly gross and old pair of underwear, he found it. The bottle that he had stolen months ago when they had first arrived in Paris. About a third of it was missing, but he figured that there was enough to get thoroughly intoxicated. He was nearly of age, not to mention that it was legal in Paris and that he didn't care about the law anyways.

Robin unscrewed the bottle, took a deep breath, and took a swig, downing the vodka as if it were water. Before long he could feel the burn in his throat travel down to his stomach, warming it in a pleasant way. He sat down on his bed, exhaling from the pleasant burn while his eyes glazed over. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He knew that before long his body would go numb, but it was worth it for the moment of sensation. He spent the next ten minutes finishing off the bottle, lying on his bed until he finally passed out. That night was the most restful sleep he had had in years.

-North America: Present Day-

Night had fallen and the streets were lit up, at least in some parts. The city was bustling with people, many normal and many criminals. On the corner of the street was an ice cream shop, full of people ready to have a late night treat after a long day of work. It was the only truly bright place on the street and seemed odd next to all the dingy stores next to it. Despite this, people still enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, or at least almost everyone did. In the far corner of the shop, sitting in a booth alone with a long empty ice cream glass, was a green teen. Most of the people in the shop had recognized him immediately, how could they not? Despite the fact that he hung up his costume, he was still green and he could still transform into animals. There was nothing he could do about that, no matter what, he would always be Beast Boy.

Sick of the looks that he was getting, Beast Boy pulled his hood over his head and gathered up his papers, placing them back into their folder along with the large map. He had just stopped in to make up for the meals that he didn't eat today, not that it really satisfied him. He was busy anyways and needed to get back to his objective, however he couldn't help but admit that he was slightly nervous. He had never been to this city before and had been trying to figure out how to accomplish his task for the past few weeks. Before long the government would probably be contacting him to force him to return to Oregon.

Without a backwards glance, Beast Boy strolled out of the store, shoving the file into his cloak. He glanced across the street, knowing that he only had one shot at this. If he failed, then his life would be over. He needed to succeed, everything counted on this. It would work, it should work, he had planned it all out. He double checked every detail, making sure that nothing was unaccounted for. He walked quickly down the street, feeling his heart begin to flutter from the nerves. There it was.

He approached the building, hiding his face in his hood, knowing that the cameras would catch him walking in. He had made sure that they worked. His shoes clacked on the tile as he walked, echoing in the nearly empty building. He glanced around, noting that there were only three workers in today, just as planned. One glanced up at him and smiled, waiting for him to make it to the desk. He stopped, standing still a few feet away from the woman at the desk, keeping his face hidden from the cameras. _Here we go. _With a deep breath, he pulled out the gun and aimed it at the woman.

"Try anything and I'll kill you."

* * *

Quite an ending, no? So, I'd like to hear your hypotheses on what's up with the last scene!

Thanks for your never-ending support for my really depressing story! Hope to update soon!

Just so you know, the next chapter is something that is **much** anticipated amongst several readers and myself! So, be prepared!


	23. The Forgotten

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

I am so excited to finally be publishing this chapter! I have been waiting to write this since Chapter Four and considering that you all have been asking about it, I am thrilled to finally give it to you. Enjoy!

* * *

-Two weeks ago-

Beast Boy sat at a desk in a dingy motel room. He had been on the road for two weeks now, having left the home in Oregon where he had been placed. This room, along with the bus into town was the only thing he could afford at the moment. After the whole fiasco in New York, he had been placed in the small town of Manzanita, Oregon. He, as well as the other Titans, was allowed to request to move to somewhere else, but he saw no point in it. The coast was a nice place to bide his time.

He worked in the stock room at a small general store where he made next to nothing, therefore he was stuck until he could afford the bus ticket he needed. In the meantime, he would spend his evenings planning and waiting. He often spent time just thinking about the good days when the team was happy and whole. Those were the nights that he liked to walk along the coast, looking out at the nighttime waves. Something about the sea made him forget, made everything disappear.

The sounds of scratching were the only thing that could be heard in the room. There wasn't music or television on in the background. Noise would just distract him and he truly needed to focus right now. It was obvious what he needed to do, just not so obvious on how to do it. He wrote down the times, first alert, then response time. _Eight minutes plus seven minutes, assuming he isn't busy._ That was the average, what he would count on to be accurate. Taking location into account, he pulled up several buildings that could work. One had the location, but was frequently crowded due to popularity. Another had the equipment, but was once again too crowded. Looking at the last option, he nodded. _This has to be it. _

He pulled the file forward, reading over it carefully. _Fifteen miles, security cameras, silent alarm, low staffed, desolate street._ This was the one, he was sure of it.

…

Beast Boy walked down the street, his face hidden in a hood that he had bought after many uncomfortable experiences in Oregon. He stalked around the building, taking note of every crack and crevice, every camera angle and every street light. Checking items off his list, he walked down the alleyway that lead from the building to the next street. That would be his escape route. He just needed to make sure nothing would block him, so he paced along, taking in every minor detail that could set him back. The timing had to be perfect if he was going to pull this off.

He made his way back towards the target, scoping out the street it was on and taking note of the ice cream shop a distance away. _That'll be where I wait. _Everything seemed to be in order, only a few more things to do before he was ready. In just a few days, he would become everything that he worked against. Hell, if Robin could do it, why couldn't he?

-Present Day-

Beast Boy pulled out the gun, puffing his chest out and taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. _You can do this_. _Do right by your friends._ "Try anything and I'll kill you," he barked, his voice threatening in a way that he had never heard before. The woman promptly threw her hands in the air, looking at her two co-workers in terror. Counting to ten in his head, he pulled out another gun with his other hand and pointed it at the scrambling women to his left. "Now, if you cooperate, then I may just leave you alive, got it?"

"Y-yes sir." Beast Boy kept his face low, walking towards the woman at the front desk. He could feel the leather of his gloves rubbing against the gun, making his grip slip slightly. Straightening his arm, he tried to look as confident as possible.

"What I need you to do is go in the back and pull all the money out of the vault. You have exactly four minutes before I shoot your two friends." _This is for them._ The woman ran to the back, opening the vault and pulling everything out of it as quickly as she could. Beast Boy squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head before turning to face the two women. "It'll all be over soon," he promised. _Two minutes, twenty seconds…_ "Hurry up!" Just as he shouted, the woman came back with the bag, throwing it over to him and putting her hands up. Beast Boy eyed the bag before zipping it up and backing out of the building, counting the seconds nervously.

Turning around, he shoved the guns into his cloak and started running down the alleyway like he had planned. The cameras had caught him running that way, he was sure of it. And so he sprinted, following the road to the most barren area, hoping beyond all hope that it had worked. He pulled the bag up higher on his shoulder, breathing heavily as he ran, not daring to change shape. _Come on…. Thirteen minutes…_

He turned down a side street, making for a specific building. It was still under construction, but sturdy enough to go into. He hopped onto a scaffold, pulling himself up onto the concrete and running through the maze of tarp. _Fifteen minutes…_ There it was. He stopped, dropping the bag onto the floor and falling to his knees. He carefully unzipped the bag and looked inside, _a tracking device. Seventeen minutes. _In the silence, he heard a light _thud_ followed by a _whooshing _sound. He jerked his head around, looking to see what caused the noise. With his heart in his throat, he closed his eyes, breathing heavily in anticipation.

"You must be pretty stupid, kid." Beast Boy jumped up, turning towards the musky voice. He could make out the shape of the dark shadow in the corner. Before the shadow had time to do anything further, Beast Boy pulled the hood of his cloak down.

"Batman, I need your help."

…

Beast Boy sat in the Batcave, looking around at all the tech and gadgets. He would normally be thrilled to be in such a famed place, but considering the circumstances, he wasn't exactly about to get excited. Of course he had been blindfolded on the drive there since he wasn't allowed to know the location, but he didn't blame Batman. It was probably better that way.

"So, care to explain why you thought robbing a bank was the best course of action to gain my attention?" Batman walked in with a mug of coffee, courtesy of Alfred. Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck, turning slightly red.

"I was trying to get in contact with you for a while, but I couldn't figure out how. I figured that you would respond to crime… It was the only way I could think to get anywhere near you," Beast Boy admitted. It wasn't like he could just walk into city hall and ask to speak to Batman, especially since he was on the government's watch list. Not to mention he wasn't supposed to associate with any sort of hero in any way.

"Is that why you left the tracking device in the bag? And gave them enough time to pull the silent alarm?"

"Er, yes."

"Clever." Beast Boy flushed, taken aback by the complement.

"You can give the money back and apologize to the employees for me…"

"They already have the money." He sat in his chair, looking at the young adult before him. He had never met Beast Boy before, but knew everything about him. He thoroughly checked every one of the Titan's backgrounds before letting them join Robin's team. The two may have had a falling out before he left for Jump, but he still watched out for the kid when he went out on his own.

"I'm sorry that I… I just needed to get your attention."

"I was aware of your presence in Gotham before you stepped foot off that bus. Unlike the government, I keep track of certain people with accuracy."

"Then why didn't you-?" Beast Boy asked perplexedly, cutting off before finishing the question.

"Ah, Beast Boy," he sighed, looking at the young man with a heaviness. "Let me get you something to drink." He stood up and walked away, disappearing before Beast Boy could see where the exit was. The room was quite dark, but filled with bright spots of light from the monitors placed in various areas. Beast Boy couldn't help but think about how much time Robin must have spent here. This was where he had been trained, where he had been reared to be a hero. He had always secretly wondered about Robin's upbringing, how long Robin had been with Batman. He knew that Robin first appeared by his side around the age of nine or ten, which meant that he had to have been trained beforehand, but how long? Had he lived here with Batman? Had this dark, famed cave once been his home? Beast Boy looked around, taking it in. Somehow it was different than he expected, though he couldn't figure out why.

Batman returned with a glass of water, handing it to Beast Boy. "Thanks." Beast Boy looked around, his previous curiosities still apparent on his face. It was odd meeting Robin's mentor, especially considering that he was also someone that Beast Boy had grown up admiring. He didn't really think about it much before, but now it was really hitting him in the face. Plucking up the courage and trying to remember that Batman was human, he began to speak, "So, why didn't you contact me? It could have prevented that whole ordeal…"

"I know what you are here for." Silence fell over the room as Beast Boy looked at Batman with a puzzled expression.

"Then-?"

"And I can't help you," Batman finished, his voice rigid.

"What?" Beast Boy's eyes furrowed, were they on the same page? "Why not? He is your son, well, I mean practically…" Beast Boy couldn't tell if he had been incorrect or if he had hit a nerve, but could feel the tension in the room as soon as the words had left his mouth.

"I-I just… I always thought that he looked up to you like a father…" Beast Boy explained, trying to keep from Batman's wrath. "I don't really know what happened to his parents and he never really said much about you or anything, but it always just seemed like he considered you to be like a… father… figure."

"Your beliefs don't change the fact that I cannot help you find him," Batman replied, circumventing the topic.

"I'm sorry, but I just don't understand _why_ you can't help me… To be honest, I don't understand why you didn't help us in the first place, when we first started looking for him." He couldn't believe that he just said that to Batman. He tried to stifle the condescending tone, but it just came out warped. "We tried contacting you then, but it seemed impossible. We could have really used your help…" he whispered, his voice despairing. They could have gotten to Robin so much sooner with Batman's help. Things could have been so much different.

"Beast Boy, I appreciate how much you have put on the line to help Robin, but I simply couldn't help you then, just as I can't help you now." Seeing that Beast Boy was about to question him again, Batman raised his hand to indicate that he wasn't finished speaking. "Since you came all this way just to talk to me, you at least deserve to know why I can't help you. So, please just do me one thing, listen to the entire story before you draw any conclusions, can you do that?" Beast Boy nodded, not liking the grave tone Batman was using. With a sigh, Batman began.

-Berlin: Thirteen Months after Robin's Abduction-

"_It was about a year after Robin was abducted by Slade. I had been searching with all my resources, spending day and night trying to locate him. With a stroke of luck and some excellent security equipment, I found him in Berlin. I already knew that he had been trained as an assassin, but I figured that it was under Slade's forceful command. I expected to get there, find Robin, and get out, simple… However, things did not go according to plan." _

With his steel toed boot, Slade pressed his foot down on the man's hand, who in turn tried to pull away. His groan of discomfort was mild as he grimaced at the figure above him. A smaller, leaner figure walked forward as Slade pulled his boot up. The man immediately grasped his hand, rolling back and forth slightly and looking up at Slade. He knew who was approaching.

"Ungh, calling for your prisoner, Deathstroke?" the man spat in heavily accented English. Slade bent down and grabbed him by his collar, pulling him off the ground and shoving him into a chair.

"Tie him down," Slade commanded, watching as Robin quickly obeyed. With precision and speed, Robin tied the man in a beautifully intricate knot. His feet were each tied to one chair leg and his hands were looped around the backing, folded around each other.

"The kid is as handy with a rope as he is with a knife, no?" Slade, already fed up with the man's quips, stepped forward and pulled out a small knife, leaning in towards the man's face.

"I am quite handy with a knife as well," he growled, his voice low and threatening. The man chuckled in return, watching as Slade ran the knife along his leg softly.

"You think that you can take anything more away from me?" he spat back, staring Slade right in the eye with an unwavering gaze. Despite his light tone of voice, a dark emptiness filled his eyes that spoke the truth of his words. Slade narrowed his eye, not looking away and continuing to tease him with the knife.

"I can think of many more things." With that, the man tilted his head back, laughing heartily. Seeing that this was going nowhere, Slade plunged the knife deep into the man's leg, making sure to scrape along the femur. The laugh quickly turned into a piercing scream that echoed in the cold, empty room. "Do you see more clearly now?"

"Ah, Deathstroke, you know what your problem is?" the man grunted, trying to catch his breath. After a few puffs, he caught the man's eye again. "You don't understand true loss! There is nothing that you can take from me that matters anymore!"

"Even your life? It seems to me that you were pretty keen on keeping that just a few minutes ago." Slade leaned on the knife, pushing it in deeper. Robin watched from a short distance, his face glossed over as he phased out. A soft buzzing rang in his ears and his breathing slowed. This was what it was like when he let himself go, when he stopped trying. Every time he would go just a little bit deeper, every mission he would go a little further, and every time he could feel it becoming harder to come back out. Despite not being fully present, Robin was still perfectly aware of his surroundings. He was all instincts, nothing else. He had been conditioned to be the perfect killing machine, and that's just what he was. One benefit of this skill was that he could disappear into oblivion and still function quite well while on a mission.

Slade looked over to his apprentice, recognizing the glazed over expression. Before he could say anything, a soft moaning filled his ears. Knowing that it wasn't Dieter, he nodded at Robin, who immediately turned around to see who was making the noise. Within a moment, he spotted movement on the ground near the pile of dead bodies. Apparently one of them wasn't so dead.

Robin walked slowly, his boots splashing in the pools of blood. Both Slade and Dieter had stopped what they were doing and were now watching as Robin stepped over each body, slowly making his way towards the live one. His footsteps slowed until he finally stopped, looking down at a barely moving man covered in both his own and his comrades' blood.

"No," a voice begged, whimpers sounding between each breath. The man looked up, his neck straining as he tried to see which of the two had finally noticed him. He could make out the outline of Robin's face, but his vision was blurry. Dieter tried to determine who it was that had somehow made it this far, but all he could make out was a hand feebly lifting into the air and begging for mercy. He watched as Robin raised his arm in return, no hesitation in his body at all, and fired the gun without a second thought. The man's arm slumped back to the ground and Robin unloaded his gun, dropping the empty cartridge on the ground. He made his way back, arbitrarily stepping over each body without even looking.

Slade looked back down at Dieter, a smirk on his face. "Now that that is taken care of, how about we get back to business?" Dieter kept his gaze on Robin, his eyes narrowed. "This time all your men really _are_ dead. You have nothing left to live for, so either give us what we want and be granted a quick death or be prepared to lose every limb you have." Robin continued to stare him down, his mask keeping him safely hidden from the man's gaze. He didn't care if his victims saw his face or costume, he just couldn't take it when they could see into his eyes.

"Do what you must, I will not give him up," he answered firmly.

"I see," Slade whispered, looking down at the man's thigh. "Robin," he called, pulling the knife out and standing straight. He turned around, waiting for Robin to walk over. Dieter tried to calm his breathing as the pain in his leg subsided. Through the tears in his eyes, he saw Slade hand the knife to Robin and whisper something before walking off, going through the exit that lead outside.

"You look too young to be in this business," Dieter commented as Robin approached him. He knew what was coming, yet his voice was far from afraid. He didn't care anymore, Robin could do anything to him at this point. Robin looked down at him, pausing before slamming the knife down into the chair and nearly missing Dieter's arm, embedding the knife into the wood. The man barely flinched and rested him arm against the wet blade.

Robin pulled out a pair of dull shearing scissors, eyeing the man menacingly. Dieter eyed the instrument, his heart beating quicker. "Very direct, aren't we?" he commented, his voice soft and husky. Robin reached out and grabbed his hand, holding it in place and placing the shears directly around his pointer finger. Not even giving Dieter one second to prepare, he clamped down, severing the finger off of his hand. The room filled with an agonizing scream and Robin tilted his head, waiting for the scream to subside. Blood trailed down his arm and dripped off his elbow.

"You-you really don't hesitate, do you?" Dieter huffed, his eyes watering.

"Why should I?" Robin replied, speaking for the first time in front of Dieter. His voice was just as Dieter had expected from his stoic exterior, except younger.

"How old are you, kid?" Robin grabbed his hand, placing the shears around his middle finger and putting pressure on it. "Unh-" With a loud _crack, _followed by a scream, his second finger fell to the floor, rolling down next to the other.

"You have to be a person to have an age, I don't qualify," Robin replied arbitrarily, his voice soft.

"Ah, I see," Dieter spit out between his teeth, trying desperately to not cry out again. "So, you have nothing left to lose?" Robin paused, examining him and contemplating whether or not he would answer.

"…No…"

"Then you understand why doing this is going to accomplish nothing," he pointed out, still breathing heavily. Robin understood what he meant, however, he still had a job to do.

"I have no pity for you, so talking to me isn't going to do anything to help you." Done with his current method of torture, Robin dropped the shears.

"Is it alright if I still talk anyways?" What was he playing at_?_ Robin couldn't make sense of why he was trying to talk to him, especially after what he had just done to the man.

"If you are telling me about how Alfonzo runs his quarter," Robin replied, pulling the knife out of the chair and placing it perpendicular under the man's fingernail. Dieter looked down, sweat running down his face.

"Robin," he began, "may I call you that?"

"Doesn't matter what you call me, you'll be dead soon anyways…" He began to apply pressure, cutting directly under the fingernail and skinning it past his knuckle. This time it took Dieter longer to recover. Robin waited, preparing the knife under another fingernail. Not giving him enough time to say anything else, Robin cut through another fingernail. He wasn't able to hold back his screams anymore, not after that.

Wiping the blade on a cloth, Robin re-sheathed it in his belt and waited for Dieter to stop hyperventilating. Several minutes had passed, two of which Dieter had blacked out for, before he finally spoke up.

"Robin, f-feel free not to answer this, but w-why did you leave Batman to become _this?_" Robin was taken aback by the question. It's not like it was hard to figure out that he was Batman's Robin, but most criminals just didn't consider it. Not receiving an answer, the man tried a different angle. "I may not be the most virtuous person, however, I certainly never tortured people. You have to be a special person to do that." He may be in charge of a large district of drug distribution, but he always valued human life and avoided bloodshed at all costs.

"Like I said, I'm not a person," Robin replied resolutely.

"Somehow I doubt that." Robin narrowed his eyes; he could feel the man's gaze boring into him. "If you are no longer a person, then what killed you?" Before Robin could say anything, Dieter considered who Robin was working for. That was the only answer he needed. "I see… It's a shame… You are so young, nearly the same age as my son-"

Robin had been putting on a pair of brass knuckles as Dieter spoke, preparing for his next attempt at getting information. At the mention of the man's son, Robin looked away, swiftly thrusting his fist forward.

…

With a sigh, Slade stepped out of the office, having searched everywhere for anything that could lead him to Alfonzo Dieter. It seemed that his brother was smart enough to not keep anything implicating him at his office. He wondered how Robin was doing, whether or not he had gotten anything out of him yet. It wasn't likely. They had made a mistake in giving him nothing to lose, so it was doubtful that he would be of any use anymore. Nevertheless, this was excellent opportunity for him to acclimate Robin to torture. He had spent the entirety of the past month willing Robin to the art. As usual, he had been extremely reluctant to start, but with careful persuasion and well placed threats, he had managed. It was actually harder to get Robin to do this than it had been to get him to kill for the first time. It seemed that torture was even worse off in Robin's book.

Things were moving quite smoothly now that he had Robin trained. They had spent an entire year in Berlin planning, but now that Robin had stopped resisting, everything was moving quite rapidly. It would only be a matter of time before they would own Berlin and could move on. Their next target would certainly take a lot less time since the training portion of Robin's apprenticeship was complete. He was hoping to have control of at least three cities by this time next year. Then, when they had enough influence and power, the real plan could begin. Robin of course knew nothing of it, but one day, when he was completely loyal and could be trusted, Slade would let him in on the real end goal. He wouldn't be able to achieve it without Robin though, which was why it was so detrimental that he gain Robin's trust. Robin didn't have to agree with their work or see Slade as a true mentor, he just needed to be able to do what Slade needed him to do. And at this rate, Slade saw no problem with that becoming reality within a few years.

Looking around, he decided that he would search the surveillance room first before returning to Robin. Hopefully Dieter would either be dead or as good as dead by the time he got back.

...

_"I had infiltrated the building and taken the files that Slade was looking for, not only to make time, but to prevent him from moving on to another target. I knew what he was doing, attempting to take over the city, yet I didn't stop him. I was only there for Robin; Slade could be dealt with at a later time…"_

Batman watched as Slade walked down the hall, going to the surveillance room, just as he had expected. There, he would find some fake files that he had planted. They would at least keep him busy for the time being. Taking advantage of the empty corridor, he silently made his way forward, checking each room for Robin. At the far end of the hall, on the left, was a storage room. This had to be it.

Hearing faint sounds of pain and whispering, Batman picked the lock and sleuthed through the door. There, in the middle of the room, stood Robin, holding a pair of bloody clamps. Sitting tied to a chair below him was a badly bloodied, yet conscious man. He was whispering something to Robin.

"Kid," Dieter choked out, blood sputtering out of his mouth with his words. "W-what you did to my-" A pause filled the room and Robin looked at a body towards his right, his eyes falling upon the young face. "I-I forgive you."

"I don't need your forgiveness," Robin shot back, his voice empty and resolute. Dieter whimpered, his face swelling from inflammation. Without looking towards the body, he kept his gaze on Robin, trying to will him to see.

"One day y-you will…" Who was this man? This was a criminal, a drug lord, evil by trade. Why was he offering Robin forgiveness that even a good man could not offer? Robin dropped the clamp to the ground next to the small pile of teeth and reached into his belt. He pulled out a handgun, wiping it with a cloth and cocking it.

"You think I don't see you?" Robin said softly, looking at Dieter.

"W-what?" he asked, puzzled.

A voice replied from the doorway, becoming louder as it approached the two. "I expected nothing less." Dieter immediately recognized Batman's voice and looked up at Robin, waiting for his response. Robin stood still, his hand resting by his side and loosely gripping the gun. Time seemed to freeze as they all waited for someone to make a move or say something. Batman was trying to gage the situation, trying to see what Robin was going to do, but he was finding it hard to read him. This was not the young boy that he had seen the last time, he could feel the difference standing across the room. Robin looked down at his hand, tilting his head and breathing in. He lifted the gun, pressing it up against Dieter's temple, and turned to look at Batman.

"Look who finally showed up," Robin said, his body now turned to face his former mentor, but his arm extended to the side to hold the gun against his captive. His words were empty, no emotion present in them. He was just going through the motions.

"I've been trying to locate you for a year now," Batman explained, his voice firm.

"That's right, a whole year…" Dieter felt the gun push harder against his skin and moved his head, trying to alleviate the pain.

"Robin, I never forgot you." Robin exhaled in disbelief, a chuckle under his breath.

"No, of course," Robin mocked, "the famous and noble Batman would _never_ forget his son."

"Robin, there wasn't a day that I didn't search for you."

"I'm sure," Robin replied, "After all, nothing much happens in a year anyways, not like time mattered." Robin had waited for this day for many months, planning what he would say, how he would react. The first half of his captivity, the reunion had been filled with remarks of joy and appreciation, but as time went on, things got less and less friendly. He had begun to resent the fact that he had not been rescued yet, not only by his friends, but by Batman, who obviously had the means to find him. By the time Robin had hit the nine month mark, his plan contained no words of happiness or thanks, and by the time he hit one year, he had stopped planning altogether. However, despite his stoic and empty appearance, an all-consuming resentment found itself burning deep inside of his body.

"I would have come for you earlier if I could have, but I-"

"You couldn't leave your precious city," Robin cut in. "No, I understand," he said, not allowing Batman interrupt, "Gotham is more important!" This time pain and anger flashed across his face, his voice wounded.

"Robin-"

"Don't. Just don't," he spat, his demeanor still calm. "I may have been your son once, but not anymore." Batman remained silent, watching his ex-protégé with a heavy gaze. He needed to change his tactic.

"I may have failed you, Robin, but that does not change what is right and what is wrong. You know that;_ I_ taught you that. Despite whatever Slade may have told you or done to you, it does not change what the right thing to do is. Now, put the gun _down_, Robin," he commanded. Robin may be his son, but that didn't change the situation. Batman could forgive what he had done over the year, but if he murdered this man in front of him, everything would be different.

"How touching," Robin jeered. "But you can't tell me what to do anymore. I'm not yours to boss around, I am Slade's." Robin never thought that he would hear himself say that, but now it felt so natural, so normal. He never foresaw that he would say no to his rescue and choose to stay with Slade, but right now, it was the only thing that made sense. He couldn't go back with Bruce, not after this.

"I never could tell you what to do; you were never my property. Despite who you think you have to answer to, you have a choice in what you do, and it is completely on you when you make that decision. However, know that if you don't put down that gun, then everything changes." Robin waited, wanting to hear Batman plead his case. "Right now, I can still help you, I can take you from this place, take you away from Slade. However, if you shoot this man, I can't take you home. I will have no choice but to declare you a criminal. That will mean that you will not receive any special treatment anymore. That will mean that I will do everything and anything in my power to stop you, just as I would any other criminal." Robin's eyes narrowed and Dieter tried to look up at him, despite the gun pressing against his temple.

After a few moments of silence, Robin perked up, his eyes narrowing and a small semblance of a smirk on his lips. "Go ahead." With that, he looked to Dieter, turning his back on his former mentor with ease. Knowing what was coming, Dieter looked down at the young man splayed out on the floor.

"I'll see you soon," Dieter whispered, closing his eyes and allowing his son's body to be the last thing that he would ever see. Letting Dieter say his final words, Robin pulled his finger back, waiting to feel the kick.

"Robin!" Batman shouted, his hand shooting forward. Robin, knowing exactly what was coming, pulled the gun back, watching the boomerang fly past where his hand had just been. At the same time, the gun fired into the roof and Robin flew back, pulling the freshly fired gun into his body. Turning around and shooting his arm out, Robin aimed towards Dieter and fired again. Without hesitation, Batman threw his arm out to block the bullet. The moment that he felt the bullet hit his armor, he turned to follow Robin. As he turned around, a cloud of smoke exploded from the floor and Robin disappeared into the scaffolding of the roof.

Batman quickly followed, grabbing onto a hanging chain and climbing up. The second that he landed on the small wooden beam, several small throwing knives flew towards him, each hitting his other arm.

"Robin! You can stop this, you can leave Slade!" Hearing the soft footfalls, Batman flipped around, grabbing the foot that was coming for his face. "Come home, think of your friends," he growled, twisting Robin around and shoving him down. Robin, silent as ever, swung his arm around and slashed Batman's hand with his dagger. His foot now free, he swung his body around and kicked Batman in the legs, sending him tumbling down on the beam. This was certainly never something that Batman thought he would have to prepare for some day.

"Why did you even come?! What did you expect?" Robin shouted, a genuine tone behind the question.

"I expected to find the young man that I admired for many years." Robin paused, standing in place. Something flashed across his face and his hands balled into fists.

"Don't-," Robin started, his voice full of conflict, "-do that to me!" He ran forward, his face displaying emotion that hadn't been there in many months. "Don't you dare try to make me the bad guy! It's _your fault_ that I'm here!" He threw several punches, knowing that Batman would deflect them all easily.

"I did everything I could to-"

"Well, you should have done _more!"_ Robin backed up, taking cover as Batman looked at his arms. All along the fabric were a sequence of small explosives that Robin had strategically placed, knowing that he would leave his arms exposed when blocking the punches. Shoving his arm out, Batman felt the small explosion force him backwards. As he stood up, having fallen from the beam, a staff came crashing down from above. Robin had managed to land the staff directly on Batman's shoulder before kicking off and running towards Dieter.

Dieter had almost forgotten about his imminent death while watching the two fight, but he was brought back to reality at the sight of Robin running at him, gun in hand. Following close behind was Batman, trying desperately to stop Robin, but lagging too far behind by just an inch. Robin turned his head and looked back while running, glancing at Batman for one moment before firing his gun.

"NO!" Just as Batman's shout reverbed off the walls, Dieter slumped into his chair, his body becoming lifeless. Robin stopped in place, having succeeded in his mission, and turned to completely face Batman, waiting for his reaction. He had stopped in place, staring at the now dead man with a blank expression. Robin had just killed someone in cold blood, _and with him there._ Something in the air changed and Robin could feel it. He almost felt nervous, waiting for the response that didn't seem to come.

"…Bruce-" Robin started, his voice cutting off before he could finish. Receiving no response, Robin shifted his weight and re-adjusted his gun.

"Get out," Batman whispered, his voice conflicted.

"Bruce?"

"I said get out!" he exploded. He paused and lowered his voice, "Leave before I hurt you."

"You're just going to let me walk away?"

"No, I'm telling you to walk away before I do something that I will regret." Batman refused to look at him, which slightly irked Robin. He wasn't about to walk away without a resolution, without a winner to the fight. He wasn't going to let this end like this, not after all this time.

"What happened to all that talk of declaring me an enemy? Doing anything to stop me! Or were those just empty words?" Robin mocked, trying to get a response.

Obvious pain on his face, Batman looked at him and spoke, "Those weren't just words, and every one of them are true. As of now, you are nothing more than a criminal to me." Robin's face contorted into a pained look, but it quickly turned into anger. Lashing out in response, Robin lifted his gun and ran towards Batman.

Grabbing the gun with one hand, Batman wrapped his arm around Robin's shoulders and flipped him to the ground. Slightly surprised, Robin hesitated for a moment, giving Batman time to press his knee down on his leg. Reaching behind him, Robin grasped for Batman's head and pulled him down. His leg now free, he swung around and propelled his body forward. While getting up, he pulled his staff out again and skidded to a stop. Noticing that Batman was just standing still, Robin threw the nearest thing in his belt at him before running at him for the second time. Going for a series of quick power shots, he managed to hit his torso several times before switching tactics and sweeping his leg around.

Being in such close proximity, and going off of instinct, Robin pulled out his knife, aiming it for Batman's throat before even realizing what he was doing. Batman paused, waiting to see what Robin would do. After one moment of hesitation, Robin shot his hand forward as quickly as he could, but a hand stopped the blade before it could meet its target. Batman yanked the knife out of Robin's hand, the blade digging into his palm, and threw it across the room, an expression of complete anger on his face. Moving swifter than he normally did, Batman punched Robin, sending him tumbling backwards.

Robin crouched down to re-gain his balance, but was knocked over by a knee to the face as Batman continued without hesitation. Grasping him by the collar, Batman pulled Robin off his feet and lifted him into the air. Before he could stop himself, he shoved Robin against a wall in anger, preparing to punch him again. However, once he heard the coughing and spluttering noises coming out of Robin's mouth, he stopped, noticing that he was holding Robin up by his throat. Quickly letting go, he backed up, letting Robin fall to the floor. With a shake of his head, he turned around and started to walk away.

"W-where are you going!?" Robin coughed, still sitting on the floor.

"If you won't leave, then I will."

"You can't just leave!" Robin shouted, his voice on edge.

"Goodbye, Robin," Batman replied over his shoulder, his voice resolute and solemn.

Standing up, Robin considered running after him and attacking again, but the anger and hurt inside of him was gone. He no longer felt the need to say or do anything more; something had given him closure. He had completely destroyed everything that he ever had with Bruce, and that was all he needed. Nothing he could do would ever change what just happened. Narrowing his eyes, he watched as Batman walked out of the room, knowing that this would be the last time that he would ever see his former mentor. His throat caught and his stomach twisted in some emotion that he couldn't identify. Was that what he really wanted? Or did he just act out of anger without considering what saying goodbye really meant? Making a split decision, Robin stood up and prepared to run after him, but stopped upon hearing his name.

"Robin-" He looked over to the right of the room, deciding to abandon his previous plan. He could feel the effects of the entire fight, especially in his leg. Limping his way towards the door, he didn't so much as glance towards Slade. Who knows how long he had been there, how much he had heard, not like he cared anyways. Slade quickly caught up with Robin and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "I'm proud of you." Shrugging Slade's hand off and still looking at the door, Robin limped forward, his face blank.

"Just take me home-"

-Gotham: Present Day-

"I had to leave before I did anything further. I am not proud of that, but there is nothing I can do to change what happened, and what I said still holds true. He is a criminal, and if I find him, I have to stop him…"

"Even if you do take him down as a criminal, at least then we can work on him from whatever prison he is in," Beast Boy pointed out, trying to not react to the story too strongly.

"Beast Boy, you saw him, and I'm sure in a worse state than I did… He won't come willingly, in fact, I'm almost certain that he will die before allowing us to take him. That is something that I just can't do. I can't watch him die, despite what he may have done…"

"I know that that what happened to him is terrible, what he has become, but Robin is in there somewhere. The boy that you raised is still there…he has to be."

"I'm not so sure… As much as I would like to believe otherwise, I think he is gone," Batman replied, his voice sorrowful.

"So you're just going to give up on him? He didn't choose this, Slade forced him into this," Beast Boy shot back, his voice rising.  
"I gave him a choice!" Batman shouted, standing up and gripping the table. "I gave him a choice… and he made it…" he whispered, his anger subsiding. "I don't want to have to take him down Beast Boy, I know I should, but I just can't…" Beast Boy's eyes softened, this was the first time he had actually heard an emotional response from the man.

"So, I came all this way for nothing?" Beast Boy asked, his voice hurt. Batman loosened his grip, looking at the young boy in front of him.

"No," he sighed, "I may not be able to aid you in finding him, but I can at least help you re-unite with your friends." Beast Boy's ears perked up in surprise, a mixture of pain and excitement on his face.

"M-my friends? You can do that?" he asked, skepticism heavy in his voice.

"Of course I can, I'm Batman," he replied, his voice serious.

"But, won't the FBI, or whoever is in charge of our cases, find out if we all get together again?" He had allowed himself to believe that he would never see his friends again, despite many times that he considered going to see them anyways.

"Don't worry about that, I'll take care of them until you accomplish whatever you plan on doing." Beast Boy smiled, making a motion to run towards Batman before stopping suddenly.

"Er, sorry…"

"It's fine," he replied, straightening up. "Come, there are a few things that I need to tell you before we get started."

* * *

Every time someone would ask why Batman wasn't helping the Titans at all, I would die a little inside, knowing that it would be quite a while until I could write this chapter. It was unfortunate how long it took to publish, but I am just happy that you all finally get to know!

I would also like to thank everyone for sticking by the story despite the seriously long hiatus, I really appreciate it!

So, tell me what you think, and I look forward to publishing another chapter (hopefully soon).


	24. To Aid and Abet

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Well, the semester has ended and summer has begun!

Thank you so much for all of your patience!

* * *

-Arizona: Two Months after New York-

"Hey!" The shout drowned out in the sound of a passing truck. Its source proceeded to run a few feet before flipping the truck off in anger and turning back around. "Great…" That had been the first car to pass in nearly an hour, and considering the state of the road, he could see why. He was stranded in the middle of nowhere, on a highway in Arizona, during the middle of the day. Saying that the asphalt was scorching was an understatement.

Walking over to his car, he grunted and kicked the tire, staring at the smoke billowing out of the engine with disbelief. There was nothing he could do considering that the only thing that he knew about cars was how to hotwire them. He would be sure to learn a few things next time he was near an auto-shop. Deciding that he was going to be here for a while, he plopped himself onto the trunk of the car and reclined, his arms behind his head.

Another hour passed by, throughout which he had stripped down to the bare minimum of clothes. Two cars had passed, both of which did not stop, but his luck was about to change. Without him even indicating that he needed help, a large truck pulled over ahead of him and waited. Jumping off of the trunk, he walked over to the driver's door, looking up at the man in the seat.

"Need a ride to the gas station?" the man asked.

"Er, yeah, that'd be great!" Running back to his car, he pulled out a duffle bag and threw the keys in the passenger's seat before heading back to the truck. "Thanks! I've been stuck out here for a few hours now," he griped as he put on his seatbelt.

"Yeah, I figured," the man replied, glancing over the young man's red skin. "Probably shoulda' kept your clothes on," he chuckled, turning his truck back on. The young man looked down at his skin, noting the severe burn.

"Meh, it was too hot." The man shrugged in return, pulling back out onto the road.

"So, what's your name, kid?" he asked, receiving a chuckle in return. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's nothing, just the way you phrased that," he replied, looking at the man. "Anyways, I guess you can call me Tyler, or whatever."

"Okay Tyler, my name's Hank," he said, reaching his hand off the steering wheel to shake hands with the kid. "So, where you heading to?"

"California," Tyler replied.

"I see; first time seeing California?"

"Heh, no… I actually spent most of my life there, I'm just heading home." The man nodded and Tyler glanced at his duffle bag on the ground. "Been gone too long now…." The two continued on in silence for a while, listening to a classic rock station on the radio. The road seemed to stretch on forever, the desert never ending. It was now hitting the late afternoon and the sun was beginning to approach the horizon. At least it would cool down soon. The man pulled off at a truck stop, getting out to fill the truck with gas. Tyler remained seated, looking around the car.

"Hey, Tyler, do you think that you can handle everything from here?" the man asked, standing at the window.

"Yeah, I should be able to call my girlfriend to come pick me up from here," he replied, grabbing his duffle bag and opening the door.

"Great! Well, it was nice meeting you, Tyler. Good luck on getting home," said Hank, shaking his hand again.

"Yeah, you too." With that, Tyler walked towards the station, stopping at the payphone while Hank walked into the store. Hanging up the phone after a minute, Tyler walked back to the pumps, hopping into the driver's seat and throwing his bag back into the passenger's seat. Using the keys that he picked from Hank's pocket, he started the truck and drove out of the station. He could hear Hank yelling from behind him, but he turned up the music to drown it out, smiling as he got back on the freeway.

"Hah, Tyler, what a dumbass," he chuckled to himself, reclining slightly in his seat and glancing around. He began to open every compartment there was in the truck, searching to see what there was. Stopping in the glove compartment, he pulled out a bottle. "Score!" Unscrewing the cap with one hand, he listened as faint voices filled his ears.

"_We have a rogue truck on the 8, stolen from a truck stop near the Casa Grande area-" _Before anyone could reply to the message, he smashed the truck's radio with the nearest object he could find. Enjoying the silence, he took a swig from the bottle, sighing at the delicious burning feeling.

…

-Manzanita, Oregon: Eleven Months After New York-

The sounds of waves gently crashing forward pierced the cold night air. A perfectly clear sky allowed the stars to be seen in a way that was not possible in large cities like Jump. Something about it made the night more peaceful. That was one of the things that Beast Boy really liked about Manzanita, it had some of the most beautiful, tranquil nights he had ever seen. As he walked along the shore, all the pain and memories that haunted his mind disappeared. This was the main reason that he spent most nights in isolation at the shore. He had always been a social person when he was with the Doom Patrol and the Titans, but something about this town made him appreciate alone time. He had gradually come to understand Raven more.

Pushing any thoughts about Raven out of his head, he dug his toes into the cold sand. The moon reflected on the water of the horizon, warping slightly as the water moved. It was done, he had already bought the ticket, and it was set. He would be leaving in five days, never to return. Once he stepped foot on that bus, there would be no coming back, _ever._ It should be easy, he_ had_ only come here to bide his time after all. So why was it so hard to leave? Had he truly become accustomed to the peaceful lifestyle? As hard as it was for him to admit it, some part of him wanted to stay, to stop searching for Robin and just settle in this small town. A simple, calm life wouldn't be so bad. He was truly contented here, for the most part. So the question was, was it really worth it to leave this chance at a normal life behind?

Beast Boy kicked a small shell, looking out at the waters and breathing in the cold salty air. To think that he had been here for practically a year now, it had felt like so much longer. Time seemed to stop here. It honestly felt like being a Titan was a part of some long gone past life, like a vivid dream. But it wasn't, and couldn't just leave his friends behind. He knew the answer to his debate deep down inside.

He had five more days, and he would make the most of them, as if they were going to be his last, because who knew where this next part of his journey would lead? If he ever could, he would like to return to Manzanita. However, he had a feeling that that day would never come. He knew that he might not live to see the end of this.

-Gotham: Present Day-

Beast Boy sat on a stool in the kitchen, having just woken up to the smell of breakfast. If it hadn't been for the scent of pancakes, he probably wouldn't have woken up for a few more hours. After all, he had spent the night in what was the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in in his life. In comparison to his bed back at the Tower, he may as well have been sleeping on a rock all these years. Needless to say, despite the circumstances, he was rather enjoying the manor life. The initial shock over Batman's identity had worn off and now Beast Boy honestly wondered how he had not thought of that before. It seemed obvious now that he knew. However, things tend to be easier to figure out in hindsight.

"Would you like some pancakes, Garfield?" Alfred asked, holding out a plate. Despite his delight in the offer, Beast Boy was rather taken aback by being addressed by his real name.

"H-he told you?"

"Of course, Master Bruce tells me everything," Alfred replied, placing the plate in front of Beast Boy and walking over to grab the syrup. "The world of superheroes is not exactly a foreign concept to me."

"Oh, I just, I didn't expect that, you know? No one has called me by my real name in a long time," Beast Boy mumbled, watching him walk back with an ornate glass jar of syrup.

"There are many things that I believe you will come to learn within the next few days…" he said, placing the syrup on the counter, "Secret identities will be the least of your thoughts." Beast Boy didn't quite know what he meant by that, but he let it slide, not caring to push the matter further. Watching Beast Boy attack the food, Alfred chuckled, looking at the doorway. "Shall I leave you with your breakfast?"

Beast Boy stopped and looked up, syrup trailing down his chin. "Er, actually, would you mind staying?" Slightly surprised by the request for his company, Alfred paused before pulling up a chair and taking a seat.

"I don't see why not," he replied, his tone friendly. It had been a while since they had a youngster in the house, he had rather missed it. After finishing off his third pancake, Beast Boy glanced over at Alfred, a nervous glint in his eye.

"Sir, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?" he asked, trying to be as polite as possible.

"Yes, I suppose," Alfred chuckled. He really liked this kid.

Plucking up the courage and debating what to ask first, Beast Boy spoke, "What was Robin like?" Alfred paused, his face giving no hints as to what he was thinking. Beast Boy was about to rescind the question when he was interrupted.

"He was a rather obnoxious brat," Alfred replied, his voice completely serious. Not knowing how to respond, Beast Boy sat there, his mouth slightly open. He realized that it was meant in humor when Alfred started laughing at his expression. Smiling in return, Beast Boy loosened up. "Always thought he could do anything on his own, never once consulting anyone before trying something!"

"Sounds like him to me," Beast Boy countered, his tone light. "I always wondered if he was like that after he became our leader or if he always had a stick up his butt."

"No, he very much came packaged like that," Alfred affirmed. "Quite a passion he had though, nothing like I had seen since Master Bruce. It had actually worried me for a while, but it was simply who he was." Still smiling, Beast Boy felt his heart drop slightly.

"Er- how old… was he?" Beast Boy asked. Seeing the slightly confused expression on Alfred's face, he elaborated. "When he first came here?"

"Oh," Alfred exclaimed, understanding. "Master Dick was nine when Bruce brought him home, quite the little thing he was."

"What happened to his parents?" Beast Boy asked, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"Ah, I'm afraid that is for another day," Alfred replied, standing up.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's quite alright, enjoy your breakfast," Alfred responded, bowing and turning around.

"Alfred?"

He stopped in place, waiting. "Yes?"

"Thank you for the pancakes, and thank you for keeping me company." With a smile, Alfred walked out of the room, leaving Beast Boy to the rest of his pancakes.

…

It was the late morning and Beast Boy had explored a good third of the manor by now, of course with permission. Bruce was in his office, preparing some things before calling on Beast Boy. There was a lot that needed to be done, and said, before he could release him on his hunt. He still had a few things that he hadn't considered in his endeavor that Bruce felt he needed to bring up.

"Master Bruce?" Still reading a paper, Bruce nodded at Alfred. "When are you planning on meeting with our guest? I would say that he is getting rather restless."

"Restless?" Bruce asked, his focus not shifting.

"He is moving onto the second half of the manor now. Before long, he will run out of rooms to explore." Finally looking up, Bruce sighed, putting the paper down on a pile of various documents and standing up.

"Is it really that hard to keep him entertained?"

"Not at all, sir. In fact, I believe that any sort of food article would do the trick," he commented, moving out of the way of the door. "Speaking of which, it is nearly lunch, shall I make something?"

"Yes," Bruce answered, walking out of the door, "Don't forget, he is a vegetarian."

"Of course." As Bruce reached the end of the hall, Alfred raised his voice, "I suspect that he is somewhere in the North wing by now." Raising his hand in thanks, Bruce walked along the halls at a brisk pace. He would only be able to spend a little time discussing options with Beast Boy, so it was better to do it now when there wasn't likely to be a need for him in the city. Hall after hall passed until he ended up on the opposite side of the house, heading towards the more residential area of the manor. Normally he could hear when someone was around by now, but it was completely silent. Slightly suspicious, he stalked up and down the halls, checking every room before nearly reaching the end. Stopping suddenly, he turned around and looked at a door left slightly ajar. He had passed it without even thinking. Inside the large bedroom stood Beast Boy, barely visible in the dark.

"You could have turned on the lights," Bruce commented, opening the door all the way and stepping into the room.

"This was his room, wasn't it?" Beast Boy whispered, staring at the empty bed, pristinely made and clean.

"Yes," Bruce answered, "it was." The room was extremely clean for having not been used in nearly seven years. Beast Boy deduced that either Alfred or a maid must come in here regularly and clean thoroughly. Somehow he doubted that Bruce ever made a trip here.

"What do you tell people who ask about Richard?" he asked, genuinely curious. He didn't care if it was inappropriate to ask.

"I tell them that he is backpacking Europe," Bruce replied resolutely. Beast Boy didn't like the way that he talked about Robin's absence as if it was nothing. The two stood in silence for a few moments before Bruce walked out of the room, "If you want to get started, I would suggest coming with me." Taking one last moment to look around and take it all in, Beast Boy followed out. Within a few minutes they ended up back in the Batcave, something that Beast Boy was still slightly amazed by.

"So, how are you going to make it seem like we aren't together, the Titans?" he asked, plopping into a chair and lifting his feet on a table. Seeing the look that Bruce gave him, he dropped his feet and sat up, an apologetic look on his face. "Sorry-"

"As of now, you are back in Manzanita…at least that is what shows up if anyone wants to look. Nobody should care to double check that you are where your tracker is, unless provoked to do so," Bruce explained, emphasizing the last few words. "I can do the same for the remainder of your friends that are being tracked."

"That's really cool," Beast Boy commented, not realizing what Bruce had just said. "So how is this all going to work? Are you just going to give me their addresses and send me off, or like bring them here?"

"As I said before, my identity is not something that you can tell _anyone_, therefore bringing your team here is out of the question," Bruce replied forcefully, pulling several documents up on his computer to display for Beast Boy.

"I understand, the only thing is-" he began, looking at the ground.

"Yes?"

"I don't really have any money to get to them," he admitted shamefully.

"I will provide you with a means of transportation, at least for the time being. You can retrieve some of your old equipment from your tower, which from the last I heard, is still standing and full of all your property."

"What?! It's just sitting there?!"

"Yes, the police in Jump City decided against demolishing it out of respect for the service you did while there." Making a sound of pleasant surprise, Beast Boy crossed his arms, thinking of their Tower sitting there covered in dust. "Beast Boy, as I said before, I can only provide you with the locations of those of your friends who are being tracked by the government," Batman said, pulling up Cyborg's file.

"Er-yeah…"

"Do you understand what I am telling you?" Beast Boy didn't answer, not wanting to jump to the worst conclusion. With a sigh, Bruce sat back in his chair. "I can tell you that Cyborg is in Boston. However, contacting Starfire and Raven won't be as easy."

"You mean you don't know where they are?"

Bruce pulled up the file on Starfire, letting her picture sit at the top of the screen. "About one week after being assigned to Billings, Montana, Starfire elected to change locations." He pulled up a copy of a document, signed at the bottom in what looked to be Starfire's Tameranian signature. "She asked to return to her home planet of Tameran, and in exchange, gave up any rights to return to Earth." Reading the bottom of the document, Beast Boy frowned.

"And Raven?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"As you may remember, Raven disappeared at the courtroom. A specialized team spent several months trying to find her, but they gave up when they realized that she hadn't contacted either you or Cyborg." The room went silent and Beast Boy stared at the screen, re-reading the document over and over.

"She can't return to Earth?" he asked, returning to Starfire's absence so as to avoid talking about Raven. He would think about that later.

"Not legally, no. As per the contract, returning to Earth would violate the agreement and lead to her imprisonment."

"And she knew what she was signing?" he asked, wondering if she had misunderstood the agreement.

"Would you stay on a planet where you were no longer allowed to see anyone that you know?" Bruce proposed, silencing Beast Boy. His positive mood had quickly died and was now replaced by an extreme sense of loneliness. "There is something else that I need to draw your attention to." Beast Boy was done with this meeting already, he didn't need any more news. He especially didn't need any more bad news.

Pulling up yet another file, Bruce indicated towards the picture. "I assume you are familiar with this man?" Narrowing his eyes, Beast Boy nodded, not wanting to know where this was going. "He has been following you and Cyborg for quite a while now. I thought I should inform you since it is obvious that he is still investigating the New York case." Beast Boy stared incredulously at the picture; he had never wanted to see that man again. Could he ever catch a break? "I also believe it is worth noting that he has enlisted the help of a fellow officer that was active in New York at the time."

Before he even pulled the picture up, Beast Boy spat out, "Vince Burtes."

"You know him?"

"Yes, we asked him a few questions back in New York. He said that Clark was his friend…"

"Well, there you go. That's why they are working together." Beast Boy continued to stare at the picture of Vince, resentment building up inside of him like he had never experienced before. "You see why I am bringing this to your attention?"

"If either of them finds out that we are together, then we are done for…"

"Different than I would put it, but yes. You need to keep constant vigilance if you don't want to end up in prison again. However, there is a possibility that he might not report anything," Bruce pointed out, pausing in thought.

"What?"

"I don't know if you know this, but Clark was fired after your disbandment. I am sure that he fosters some negative feelings towards the ones who ended his career, which means that he might not report it to the police if he finds you re-united. He might have an ulterior, more personal, motive for investigating you. Then again, he could be trying to redeem himself somehow by shedding new light on the case that got him fired. Either way, just be careful, because he is watching."

"Noted," Beast Boy affirmed. What was Clark's motivation? This had bothered Beast Boy a year ago and it was about to resurface. What was the nature of this man's all-consuming obsession with them?

"Beast Boy, what is your plan?" Bruce asked abruptly, switching gears completely.

"My plan?" he asked, caught off guard.

"Yes, your plan. What do you intend on doing if you get your team back together?"

"W-well… I'm going to save Robin…"

"I understand that, but this cannot be the extent of your plan? Ignoring the problem of getting to him in the first place, what do you plan on doing if you do manage to find him?"

"I-I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I guess I thought that I'd come up with something after I saw you…"

"Were you planning on going after him alone?" Bruce asked, the thought suddenly occurring to him. "You never mentioned finding your team and seemed surprised when I suggested it."

"Actually, I was going to ask if you could send them a message from me if I had the chance, but you beat me to it…" Bruce let out a concerned sigh, there was no way that this kid was ready to handle what he was taking on. There was more that he needed to teach Beast Boy before he could let him go; he wasn't about to let the kid go out and get himself killed over a personal vendetta.

"Beast Boy, tell me this, why exactly are you doing this?" Beast Boy blinked, taken aback by the nature of the question. Why would he even ask that? Wasn't it obvious? As he opened his mouth to answer, the screens in the room flashed red and the news started playing. Bruce jumped up, running to change into his gear while listening to the report. He stopped across from Beast Boy, looking at him as he pulled his mask on.

"Go ahead, I'll head back in for lunch," Beast Boy said, standing up and making for the door. Bruce had half expected him to want to come along on the mission and had even prepared what he would say, but apparently he didn't need it. Running to his car, he hopped in and drove off, trusting that Beast Boy could find his way back into the manor on his own.

Within several minutes, Beast Boy had managed to get lost in an area of the manor he hadn't even been near yet. Going through a pair of particularly beautiful oak doors, he found himself in an office, or library, he couldn't quite tell which. He had a feeling that he shouldn't be in this room, but curiosity drove him forward. Mostly the room was full of what looked like various educational books and artifacts, but a few interesting things were scattered here and there, such as a photo of young Dick and Bruce at the zoo. This was the first time he had seen a picture around the house and it was the only one that was in the room, which meant it must mean something to Bruce. Beast Boy looked at the young boy's vibrant blue eyes, slightly shocked at seeing what color they were for the first time.

Placing the frame down, he walked over to the desk and sat in the chair, swiveling around and admiring the carvings on the wood. He couldn't even imagine being this wealthy, it rather shocked him that Robin had been filthy rich the entire time. Leaning forward, he moved the mousepad, hoping that the computer would be unlocked. As expected, it was locked with a passcode that he assumed would be unbreakable, nevertheless, he considered trying it. What would he have as a password? He didn't seem like a very personable being, so it probably wasn't anything sentimental, but who knows?

"I don't think that it is a good idea to be snooping around Master Bruce's study," a voice commented from the door, causing him to jump out of his seat into a militant standing position.

"I-I was just," Beast Boy mumbled, trying desperately to make things look less bad than they did.

"Don't worry, son. It'll be our secret, now how about we have some lunch?" Beast Boy, still red from embarrassment and fear, smiled and walked forward into Alfred's extended arm. "How do tofu burgers sound?"

-Paris-

Robin sat in his bed, looking up at the ceiling with lidded eyes. His head rested on his arms and his breathing was slow, almost as if he were about to fall asleep. However, he was far from sleep. It was the middle of the afternoon and he was as far from tired as you could get. There was always training and studying to do, but quite frankly, he didn't give a shit. So, he retired to his room, where he would stare off in space, debating what he was even doing. He had accepted defeat for so long and now, with all that had been happening in the last year, he was quite confused as to where his alliance was. He did not care at all for Slade, only staying out of habit and routine, but now he was wondering if he actually wanted to leave. For once in many years, he felt uneasy about what he was doing. Going back to his old life was completely impossible and the thought of trying to start a new one made him want to just die, yet the thought of staying in his current situation was starting to not sit well with him. There was no option that he liked. Of course, when was the last time that he actually got to choose for himself? Let alone choose the option that he favored?

"Robin." Slade opened the door, not bothering to knock first, and leaned against the frame, examining the boy with a scrutinizing eye.

"Yes?" Robin replied, his voice lazy. Stepping into the room, Slade stood over Robin, willing him to look at him. Feeling the threat emanating off of the man, Robin turned his head and looked up at him.

"We need to talk," Slade commanded, leaving no room for negotiation. Without hesitation, Robin uncrossed his legs and stood up, obeying the order despite his lack of motivation to continue breathing. The two walked down the hall until they reached the debriefing room, which, Robin noted, had gone widely unused. Taking a seat, Robin folded his hands and waited patiently for Slade to get situated. He took the seat directly across from Robin and placed his hands on the table, leaning in.

"You have been arrogant, lazy, and disobedient over the past few months," he began, cutting to the chase. Robin's face remained unconcerned as he sat, listening to Slade's criticism. "This is unacceptable behavior."

"Despite my one 'runaway' incident, I have been nothing but exactly what you wanted me to be, therefore I do not see what you are asking of me," Robin replied icily.

"Oh, yes, your 'runaway' incident," Slade repeated back to him. "Why don't we talk about that? Hm?"

"What about it?" Robin sighed. They had gone over it already, several times. He had risked exposing their location and put their mission in danger… nothing new.

"How about you tell me why you saved her? We have talked about the practical consequences of your actions, but not the motivation behind them. So, why save some woman in the street?" Slade pressed, searching for something deeper than was on the surface of the question.

"I don't know, I was there and I just wanted to take out some aggression… The opportunity presented itself…"

"I don't think it is that simple, Robin. There are plenty of other ways to rid your frustration, the least of which involves you saving someone." Slade paused and leaned forward. "Robin, we have been together for many years now, have saved each other's lives many times," Robin looked away at that statement, narrowing his eyes, "I believe that even after all that I have done to you, I deserve the truth from you. I cannot help you if I don't know what you are thinking. Contrary to popular belief, I don't always know exactly what everyone is thinking."

"I… I don't know why… I was just following instinct and I guess my instinct told me not to kill her." Robin forced air out of his nose and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his face scrunching up in thought. "I honestly don't know why I do anything anymore. I just do it. That's what I am used to, following orders without thinking about them."

"I never gave you that order-"

"No, but he was a rapist, and he deserved to die. I wasn't going to let that happen."

"I see. Do you think that that situation brought up some old memories? Some emotions that you forgot about, emotions that you couldn't handle having again?"

"What?"

"That is what this is all about, right? You struggling with your emotions?"

"…I don't have emotions," Robin stated in his usual monotone.

"Oh, no, of course you don't. That wouldn't explain your erratic behavior at all," Slade shot back sarcastically. "Do you think I haven't noticed your consistent pattern of self-destructive behavior? I had to break down the damn door to keep you from bleeding out. That is not something that emotionally stable people have problems with."

"I-I," Robin mumbled, not wanting to admit why he had done that.

"Were you trying to kill yourself?"

"No, I was-"

"Yes?" Slade prompted, waiting for a response.

"I was trying to feel… something…" Robin admitted. Slade sat back, finally understanding.

"Ah, it all makes sense now. You aren't acting out because of a lack of control of your emotions. You feel a disconnect from them." Robin neither confirmed nor denied the statement. "Believe it or not, Robin, they are there, otherwise you wouldn't be acting like this. The problem is that you can't accept their presence."

"Why do you care?" Why was Slade psychoanalyzing him? Not like he cared before… Not like he cared ever…

"You are my apprentice, and believe it or not, you were lined up to take over after me at one time."

"I'm not anymore?"

"Not like this, no. You see, I can't have an emotionally unstable child taking over my legacy. I spent many years working for what I have accomplished, sacrificing many things to get here, and I'm not going to let you throw that all away because you have problems accepting your sad little life."

"You're a dick."

"Don't push your luck, Robin. I will not be spoken to like that."

"What do you want me to say? I'm sorry that I have such a shitty situation, because that is your fault, not mine."

"Is it, Robin?"

"Wh-what? Of course it is. How is that even a question? I never elected to be your damn apprentice!"

"No, but you elected to be what you are today. You always had a decision in everything, despite what you may think. Sure, you may have not liked the options, but you always had a choice. You are who you are today because of your choices."

"You think that my choice to harm the least people possible made me who I am today? You think that I am so erratic because of my decisions? No, Slade, you made me the way I am! You are the one who slowly killed me, you are the one who made me have to shut out all emotion, and you are the one who made me unable to leave you, so congrats on your accomplishment!" Closing his mouth, Slade stopped what he was about to say and stared at Robin. The two sat, looking at each other across the table for several minutes, neither saying anything. Slade stood up slowly, walking over to the computers and facing away from Robin. Robin, on the other hand, made no indication to move, glaring at Slade's back. He had Slade pinned to a corner, there was no denying that he was the product of Slade's mistreatment.

"I had such plans for you, plans much greater than what we have been doing thus far, but perhaps I made a mistake in taking you as my apprentice. If I had known what you would have turned out to be, what I would have made you into, I would have never taken you on as my successor." Robin never thought he would live to see the day that he would hear Slade say that. "I had thought you to be stronger, more in control, like me, but I was wrong." Slade turned around and stared Robin down, seeing the insult on his face. "It's too late, I cannot change what is done, but I can change the outcome of my plans."

"What do you mean by plans that are greater than what we have been doing?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"You haven't even scraped the surface of what our true mission had been, and we have been so delayed by this year."

"You say that like it's my fault? You are the one who has been sitting around doing nothing all year! I haven't been on a mission in months, and you wonder why I am so reckless?!"

"You haven't been on a mission in months because you are so reckless. I cannot trust you to successfully complete a mission, let alone trust you with my plan. It requires someone to carry it on, and it cannot truly begin until I am sure that that person will actually continue with what needs to be done. You are not capable of completing the rudimentary tasks that we have been doing over the past three years. How do you expect me to trust you with something much greater?"

"Rudimentary tasks? We are taking over cities! And you are saying that this is not even your real plan?" Robin barked, disbelief in his voice. "What is your real plan, then? You want to take over the entire world? Run it by yourself, then have your successor continue after you?!"

"Oh, Robin. That has always been your flaw, narrow-mindedness. Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps what you were doing was a part of something so much more complex? Have you ever, in your obviously sinister perception of me, thought of the possibility that I am not some cartoonish villain who wants to take over the world? Has it ever crossed your mind that my plan is far greater than such childish aspirations?"

"So, what? Are you suggesting that you are actually doing something good or noble? Because I don't think that assassinating thousands of people is exactly model behavior for some _greater plans._"

"Noble? No. Good? Well, good for me. I suppose there are different perceptions of what good is, but I know what my perception of good is. It may not be your former perception of good, but do you think I would go through so much effort training you if I didn't truly believe in my plans? Everything I do has a reason and a purpose. I always assumed that you understood that, even before I kidnapped you."

"Then tell me what your plans are, if you think they are so great."

"You lost that opportunity when you lost control of yourself, when a bottle became the only means for you to leave your room." Robin's eyes widened; he had been so careful to hide that.

"So, what now, then? Are you ever going to continue with your plans? Or are we just going to sit here in perpetual hell, rotting away inside this warehouse until one of us finally dies?"

"No, I don't plan on wasting my time sitting here with you as we have for the past year. In fact, over the past few months, I have been carefully considering all the options and I believe there are only two."

"And what are they?"

"Things cannot be as they are now, something has to change. You can either stay here and clean up your act, start going on missions again and perhaps eventually regain my trust. Or, you can leave and try to create a new life for yourself and maybe come to terms with your complete lack of control over yourself."

"You would let me just walk out? After all this time and all that we have been through, you are just going to let me go?"

"Oh, it's not that simple. First, you must go through conditioning so that you never repeat a word that you have heard here. Then, you will be thrown out on your own, with no friends left to turn to. Now, there is the possibility that you can have a nice, normal life. However, that is very doubtful." Robin glared at Slade, wondering if this was a trick. "You have one day to decide what you want your life to be. Consider all the options, and know that once you choose, you are bound to that decision forever. There will be no leaving if you stay and there will be no coming back if you leave. Spend the day thinking about who you want to be, Robin." Slade walked across the room as he spoke, shutting the door behind him and leaving Robin to make his decision.

-Boston-

"Victor," a man called out. Cyborg, hearing the muffled call, pushed himself out from under the car and sat up, wiping his hands on his shirt. Despite his efforts, the muck on his hands just smeared all over.

"Yeah?"

"Did you finish the Civic?"

"Actually, yeah. I thought it would take longer, but it was just a wiring problem, only took a half hour. It was the last car for the day so I figured that I'd work on my car until we got something else to work on."

"That was quick… You do know that if the boss catches you working on your own car again while on the clock, he'll fire you. You're already on his shit list anyways…"

"Yeah, but he is out with his girlfriend for the hour anyways, so I figured, why not?" Cyborg chuckled, the other man joining in.

"You sure are one daring son of a bitch, aren't you?"

"I can't exactly say that I have lived the safest and most sheltered life so far," he joked. "Hey, wanna help me install the engine?"

"You've been working on this for months, you sure you don't want to do that on your own? It is the most fun part of the whole process…"

"Nah, I've been doing everything on my own for too long now. It'd be nice to share the fun with someone for once." The man walked over the grabbed a chain, helping Cyborg lift the engine into the car.

"Can I ask? Why exactly did you pick such an odd design? I mean, no offense, but normally men our age like to build muscle cars, speedsters, you know?" Cyborg looked at his car, fondness in his eye.

"Sentimental reasons."

"Ah, I see." The man stood back, admiring the work. "Anyways, I was actually here to see if you wanted to come to the bar and have some drinks with us. I know you always say no, but you might enjoy it."

"I probably shouldn't."

"You probably should," the man shot back jokingly. "Just think of the health benefits, hanging with some coworkers! You know you haven't partied that hard in a good year!"

"I suppose a few beers couldn't hurt," Cyborg agreed, letting go of his reservations. "And don't underestimate my ability to party. For all you know, I could be at the club every night."

"Somehow, I just can't see that."

"Yeah, well, I can't either… Always been more of a family man…"

"Oh, you have a family?"

"Er… no, not anymore."

"Oh," the man exhaled awkwardly, "sorry…"

"Nah, its fine, just forget it. I'll see ya at the bar after work," Cyborg said, trying to seem enthusiastic as he walked towards the computer. He took a seat, opening several news websites, and began his daily search with a sigh.

-California: Two Months after New York-

"Another one bites the dust! And another one gone, and another one gone, another one bites the DUST!" a voice shouted, singing along to the radio. The truck was driving well over the speed limit, and the outlines of Jump City became clearer and clearer with every passing minute. However, it did not go unnoticed by the police officer hiding on the side of an off ramp. Before long, sirens blazed behind him, causing him to reluctantly pull over. The car stopped and the officer got out, walking towards the truck and stepping up on the side to see through the window.

"Roll down your window," he commanded. The window rolled down and a bright young, very burnt face greeted him.

"Hello officer! What may I do you for?"

"How fast were you going back there?" he asked, eyeing the inside of the truck.

"Hrm… I'd say about ninety, maybe ninety five."

"You do know that the speed limit is sixty-five on this freeway?"

"Oh, yeah, but that seemed way too slow to me and I am in quite a hurry."

"Have you been drinking?" he asked, looking at an empty gin bottle lying on the passenger's seat.

"No, not at all officer, that _is illegal_ you know!"

"Step out of the vehicle," he commanded, stepping down. Without hesitation, the young man jumped out of the car, sighing when he landed. He felt fine, it was only two swigs after all, only enough to get buzzed. "How much have you had to drink, sir?"

"You know, I think I liked you better when I was in the truck…"

"Stay here," the officer said sternly, walking back to his car to get a breathalyzer. Watching him, the young man jumped up into the truck and pulled his duffle bag out. "Hey! I said don't move!"

"I believe that you said 'stay here', not 'don't move'." Clearly peeved, the officer walked towards him, preparing to arrest him. "Hey, there is no need to get violent!" He side stepped out of the way, causing the officer to launch forward.

"If you don't comply, I will charge you for resisting arrest."

"Wait, what am I getting arrested for again?"  
"Driving under the influence and drunkenly disorder."

"I do not believe that you have breathalyzed me yet, sir," he mocked. He grabbed the device out of the officer's hand and breathed into it until his face turned purple. Sucking in a breath, he looked at the device, smiling. "Hey, what do you know? You were right, I am intoxicated…" The officer made to move forward, but the man grabbed his arm and flipped him around, wrapping it around his neck. "Shhh, just let go and it will all be over," he whispered. "You know, I don't normally act like this, I'm just so happy to be home. Plus I'm slightly buzzed… I'm sorry you had to see me like this." The man went limp and he let go, lowering him to the floor. Opening his duffle bag, he shoved his suit and mask out of the way and grabbed some tape. He dragged the man back to his car and taped his arms to his side, then around the seat so that he couldn't move when he woke up. Hoping no one would recognize the red tape, since that was all he had, he walked back to his truck, hopping in and driving away.

"I'm coming home, baby…" he whispered, reveling at the sight of his city.

* * *

I am sorry if all the time jumps in this Chapter were confusing, I tried to keep them clear, but they were a little odd...

Basically, to clarify:

-It has been about one year since New York

-Red X was shown traveling from New York to California two months after the New York incident (this is several months before present day)

-Beast Boy was shown in Manzanita one month ago before arriving in Gotham (which is also eleven months after New York)

If you are having problems with the timeline and all the time jumps, I would be happy to post my timeline as an additional chapter for reference. It goes by month and year, listing each event that occurs in every month. If you are interested, message me and and I can send you a copy. (Makes life easier for everyone)


	25. Fleeting Sanity

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

To celebrate the one year anniversary of Finding Robin (as of June 3) and the reaching of 75 followers (much more than I ever anticipated), I present to you a chapter that I am particularly fond of.

* * *

-Gotham-

Beast Boy sat in his bed, deciding what he wanted to do until Bruce came home. Sometimes he forgot that Bruce had another life besides crime fighting. It made him wish he could have a life of his own, something that no one else could touch or destroy. Of course, that wasn't feasible. Anything could be broken. It's better to not have anything to lose.

He looked over to the files he had on Starfire and Cyborg, which were proving to be little help. He kept reading them, yet nothing jumped out at him. He needed to get his team together and by the looks of it, Cyborg would be the only one that he could recruit. How their numbers have dwindled over the years…

He grabbed Cyborg's file, smiling at the picture of him in the auto-shop. It was suiting, what he had always pictured Cyborg doing if he wasn't with the Titans. Supposedly, his last check in had been four months ago, which meant that no one even cared to see what he was doing anymore. Beast Boy had received a visit just a week before he left, which made him wonder if he was seen as more of a threat than any of the others.

The file had all the details on Cyborg's whereabouts, including photos of everyone he associated with, which were his coworkers. There was even a photo of his apartment. Beast Boy felt bad, he had stayed in a much nicer place in Manzanita. Of course, neither compared to their tower. Looking over at Starfire's tiny folder, he frowned. All she had was a photo of her from the day she left and papers documenting her deportation. He wished Bruce had provided him with his own file, he was curious to see what it said. Better yet, he wanted Robin's file. There had to be stuff on there from Clark's investigation. Perhaps he didn't even have a file, Bruce would have probably destroyed it to protect him. At least, that's what he would have done before Robin betrayed him.

Beast Boy wanted to know more about Robin, more about his childhood and how he happened to come across Bruce. Mostly it was just pure curiosity, but he also figured that knowing everything about Robin's past might help him. Perhaps reminding him of his childhood would work more effectively than their last strategy. Everything was so poorly handled before. This time would have to be different, they would have to take a new approach. The only problem was that there were really no options left. If they couldn't reason with him and they couldn't capture him, what was left?

He had asked Bruce if he knew where Robin was, but he insisted that he didn't know. Beast Boy couldn't help but feel like he was hiding something. He said that if he knew where Robin was, then he would have to take him down, but Beast Boy felt like he was really avoiding the truth about Robin. He probably knew where he was, but if he admitted it, then he would have to follow through with his threat, and that wasn't something he wanted to do. At least, that's what Beast Boy assumed. Bruce wasn't a very emotional man, so it was hard to gage where he was, but Beast Boy was certain that he still cared about Robin.

A knock sounded on the door and Beast Boy called for Alfred to come in. The butler stood in the doorway, glancing at the files spread out on the bed.

"Ah, Garfield. I see you have spent the entire afternoon in your bed… again. Perhaps it is time that you go for a walk?" Beast Boy looked at him, considering for a moment before deciding that Alfred was right.

"I've already seen the whole house," Beast Boy stated, walking through the door.

"Well, I guess we will just have to go somewhere else then, won't we?" he commented, shutting the door behind him and walking forward.

"Where?" Beast Boy asked, trying to mask the excitement in his voice.

"You will see in good time." Beast Boy was getting really sick of that answer. Alfred had a different way of doing things and he didn't want to disrespect him, but damn was that agitating. He followed the butler out of the manor and into the car, where he sat alone in the back for a while, looking out as they passed through the city and into a neighborhood he would never expect Alfred to take him to. Before long, his confusion turned to wonder as a large building came into view. He wasn't here for sightseeing, and this wasn't exactly a place for tourists…  
The car stopped and Alfred opened his door, beckoning Beast Boy to come out. The two stood in front of the gates, Beast Boy looking up at the large rusted sign hesitantly. _Arkham._

-Boston-

Cyborg sat in his living room, reading a book with the TV on in the background. The only thing he could tolerate watching was the news and all he ever saw were reports of crime. It made him sick that he couldn't do anything about it. He honestly considered trying out for the police force, but with his 'criminal' record, he would never be admitted. It was cruel how irony worked. Try to take some evil out of the world and it will just show up in some other form, ready to bite you.

Another report of a gang related murder flashed on the screen and he lowered his book. His neighborhood was becoming overrun by a new gang, the most violent the neighborhood had ever seen. Within a month, several officers had been taken down just for responding to calls. Now, the police were too afraid to respond to anything, which just allowed the crime to get worse. It was a free for all, and every gang was taking advantage of it. If Cyborg had his team with him, he would have gone after them from the start, but he had no one. Even with his team, it would be difficult. They were used to handling villains, not gangs. There was a vital difference between the two, the most important being that gangs were more prone to senseless killing. Something of this caliber was more worthy of Batman's treatment in Cyborg's opinion. He would be the only equipped to handle them, because the police force certainly wasn't.

In the midst of the report, several knocks sounded on his door. Quickly muting the TV, he stood up and looked out of the peephole. A man stood at the door, wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase.

"Can I help you," Cyborg shouted through the door. He hadn't had a check in in a while, so it was probably some government pawn sent to make sure he was still in Boston.

"Yes, Mister Stone, my name is Ken Miccer. I was hoping to speak to you; it'll only take a moment of your time."

"Look man, I'm still here, workin' my job. You can go, I promise I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm not here to check on you, Victor. In fact, no one even knows that I'm here." Cyborg opened the door, sticking his head out and eyeing the man.

"What are you here for, then?"

"Can I come in?" Hesitating for a moment, he opened the door, allowing the man to come in. Miccer surveyed the room before sitting on the couch, laying his briefcase on the coffee table. Cyborg sat next to him, putting a bookmark in his book and laying it on the table.

"So, if you don't work for the government, then who are ya?" Cyborg asked, regarding the briefcase.

"I do work for the government, just not the part that you have to worry about. You see, where I work isn't exactly public knowledge."

"So, what? You work for some secret government agency?" Cyborg joked, sitting back.

"Yes, I suppose you can call it that," the man countered, his voice serious. Cyborg stopped laughing and eyed him suspiciously.

"What're you doing here?" he asked abruptly, his tone unfriendly.

"You see, Victor, we are very interested in someone like you." He looked up at the TV, taking note of what he was watching. "You have a dedication to see people like that brought to justice," he said, nodding towards the screen. "Yet you are ostracized by the public, with nowhere to go."

"What's your point?"

"We take people like you, Victor, and we mold them into soldiers. We take those who were wronged by the world, those with great potential, and allow them to right all the injustices. With us, you will no longer be Victor Stone, but rather someone that can do good in this world. You can be someone greater, not just some auto shop worker that nobody cares about. This is of course assuming that we still want you after training." Cyborg stared at him, his eyes narrowed.

"I'm not just some auto-shop worker that no one cares about, I still have friends."

"Do you? When was the last time you saw them?" Cyborg hesitated, his features turning from anger to gloom.

"…How do I know that any of this is real?"

"Well, you don't, but what does your instinct tell you?"

"It tells me that I shouldn't have let you in," Cyborg countered, his voice cold.

"It's a shame to hear you say that. You would fit in so well." The man opened his briefcase, pulling out a folder and a small business card. "Hopefully this will sway you," he said, handing him the folder. "Give me a call if you are interested in seeing our facilities." He stood up, snapping the briefcase closed and walking towards the door. The two shook hands as he opened the door. "We'll be in touch," he said resolutely, letting go of Cyborg's hand and walking out. Cyborg waited until he drove off the lot before closing the door and sitting back on the couch.

He rolled the card in between his fingers, looking at it. Just a name and a number, nothing else. Everything about it just seemed suspicious. Putting the card down, he pulled the file over and undid the metal clasps, pulling out a large stack of papers with the word 'confidential' written on them in large red letters. The first sheet of paper was folded several times to fit in the folder. Cyborg began to read it, his eye opening wider as he got past the first few bullet points. It was a list of names. He recognized some of them as a few of the most notorious serial killers and terrorists in history, every one of them dead. Behind the list was a pile of papers, the first being a photo of a heavily tattooed man. He recognized this man. The rest of this pile was intel on the new gang, enough to easily take them down and have them serve life in prison. He skimmed the papers quickly, disbelieving of what he was just given.

-Gotham-

Beast Boy stood in the large metal detector, waiting until the guard motioned for him to come forward. He glanced around nervously, surveying the surroundings. The room was rather cold in appearance, with bare floors and plain brown walls. The only furniture present were the security desk and the full body scanner. A large steel door stood across the room, probably leading into the prison. Despite the sophisticated scanner and pat down, it seemed like security was pretty lax, at least compared to what Beast Boy had expected. He was ushered through, where he joined Alfred near the door. The guard walked over to his desk and picked up the phone, calling the security on the other side of the door and punching a code into the computer. The two continued into the next room, which was more of what Beast Boy had expected.

They took off their shoes and Alfred emptied his pockets, each placing their belongings in a bin. Much to Beast Boy's surprise, they did not give the shoes back, but rather gave them a pair from a stock room. Pictures were taken of both of them and ID cards were made, along with their information being logged into the computer. Alfred had put Beast Boy down as a fake identity, simply because he couldn't have his name in the record. Bruce would hack into the system and erase it later anyways. The two were brought through another door, where a reception desk stood with two doors behind it.

"Hello, are you Alfred?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes," he replied, standing tall in front of the desk and smiling at the woman.

"I'll send you right through," she said, standing up and unlocking the door to her left. Beast Boy glanced at Alfred, but held back his questions, following him through the doors. "Remember, don't talk to anyone, especially 13B," she stated. With that, she shut and locked the door behind them, leaving them in a long hallway leading into an immensely large room. The room was rectangular, with pathways leading down hundreds of cells. Beast Boy looked over the rails at the floor below, wondering how many inmates there were.

"Beast Boy," Alfred started, "this facility is an age old prison for the criminally insane. It houses serial killers, rapists, child molesters, villains, and just about anything else you can think of. These inmates are the worst of the worst; it takes a special type of villain to get locked up in here."

"Yeah, I've heard stories about this place."

"Nearly ninety percent of the inmates here were taken into custody by Batman himself. As you may guess, he has a rather nasty reputation here."

"Nasty?"

"Everyone in here would just love a chance to get him alone in a room, if I must put it another way."

"Okay…" Beast Boy replied, walking forward. "No offense sir, but why are we here?" Alfred strolled ahead of him, leading the way.

"In good time." Beast Boy groaned, following Alfred's brisk pace and trying to get a look at every cell they passed without being seen by the prisoners themselves. He certainly did not want to piss one of them off.

"Where are we going?"

"These are all the common prisoners, rapists and such. What I want to show you is much further along." Several prisoners were standing at their doors, some glaring and some banging on the glass. Shouts began to fill the corridor as the prisoners became aware of their presence. Despite the crude language being spewed about, Alfred kept his head high and walked with confidence. Beast Boy found himself having difficulty maintaining such a demeanor.

After a few more minutes, they approached a barred door and Alfred peered over, speaking to someone Beast Boy couldn't see. The door swung open and they walked through, passing an extremely threatening looking man. He didn't want to stare, but the man was huge. He would have to be to keep the inmates in order.

This corridor was much different than the last room. It was closed off and made completely of steel, with very little light coming from the lamps above. It was also narrow, with barely enough room for Beast Boy and Alfred to walk near each other. The other thing that Beast Boy couldn't help but notice was the dead silence. It was extremely unnerving.

"This is where the unsalvageable reside. These are the world's worst criminals."

"There are no windows to see in…"

"There used to be, until Bane smashed through his and used the shards to kill three other inmates." Beast Boy's eyes widened; and he used to think the villains they fought were bad. At least none of them killed people. Well, except for Slade, but they hadn't learned about that until Robin disappeared.

Alfred stopped in front of one of the steel doors. He opened a small slit, which had thick glass protecting it from the inside, and beckoned for Beast Boy to come forward. He looked in, not knowing what to expect.

In the far corner, lying on the bed on his side, was a normal looking man. He appeared to be sleeping, despite the fact that it was the middle of the afternoon. What did he do to land himself in here? He seemed perfectly… average.

"Alfred?"

"That, Garfield, is Bane." Beast Boy's eyes widened as he looked again. He had heard that Bane became larger when he took a serum, but he assumed that he at least started out somewhat large. "Never judge a book by its cover. Sometimes it is those that seem the least likely to hurt us that are the most dangerous," Alfred mused, closing the slot.

They walked four more cells down and stopped again, opening a new slot. A beautiful woman sat on the ground, clutching herself and mumbling. Beast Boy thought he heard some Latin, but he wasn't quite certain. She sat straight up and her head snapped around, quickly spotting the two pairs of eyes through the slot. Beast Boy thought that Alfred would shut it, but he left it open as she approached with an odd smirk on her face.

"I have visitors? How lovely!" she exclaimed, her voice having a song-like quality to it. Stopping at the glass, she eyed Beast Boy, scanning him with an avid look on her face. "And one of them is green!" Beast Boy shifted his weight, avoiding her gaze. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"Er… Logan…"

"Say, Logan? How is it that you came to be green?"

"I-I… It's a skin condition," he lied. He didn't want to give out too much information on himself. She was not the type of person he wanted to know his secret identity.

"That's a lie," she stated, her voice raised. "No matter… What brings Logan to visit me in prison?" Beast Boy honestly wished that Alfred would shut the slot now, but he didn't seem to be doing so anytime soon.

"I really don't know. Just seeing the city."

"You don't know why you are in Arkham? And they let you in?" she snorted. "I will have to tell dear Harley that the security has been lacking lately." Something glinted in her eyes and she leaned forward. "Say kid, how old are you?"

"…"

"Oh, it doesn't matter, you look old enough to me. I have something I need to tell you." Beast Boy eyed her suspiciously as she motioned him to lean in with her finger. "It's a secret, come closer." Glancing at Alfred, he leaned in slightly, turning his ear to face her. "No, face me, and lean in closer!" She was whispering now, only loud enough to barely be audible. With extreme reluctance, but an odd sense of curiosity, Beast Boy leaned in closer until his nose was almost touching the glass. She closed her eyes, leaned in, and slowly pressed her lips against it. "That's for you," she purred, pulling back. Within seconds, something passed over the glass and it cracked. The crack was miniscule and only on her side, but it was enough to make Beast Boy jump back and slam the slot shut on his own. A dark chuckle followed the slam, fading into the darkness as she went back to the center of the room.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to shut that on your own," Alfred commented, staring at the alarmed look on his face. Beast Boy was about to make a retort when a disturbing, manic laugh filled the hallway. This wasn't the same as Ivy's laugh, it was much louder and more pronounced, and arguably more insane. Only one person could be the source of that.

Walking forward briskly, Alfred led Beast Boy towards the laughter, each step causing both their hearts to accelerate. Alfred knew how dangerous the Joker was and he knew it was healthy to have a fear of him. That's why he really needed Beast Boy to see him.

The laugh was coming from the last cell at the far end of the hallway, _13B_. This cell, unlike the others, faced the hallway directly, rather than from the side. Even the door was more heavily secured, like a bank vault. There was no slot, but rather a small screen outside the door. Footage from a camera inside the cell played, and Joker was already staring at it head on. Beast Boy could feel his glare, even through the camera.

"We have visitors? And by the sound of it, we have a Teen Titan on our hands." Beast Boy was taken aback, how could he possibly know? "There are only two green people in the world, Ivy and Beast Boy. At least that I know of…" he stated, his voice suddenly serious. "And who is accompanying you on your sightseeing?" Both remained silent. There was no way Beast Boy would tell the Joker that he was with Alfred. "Come on, aren't you going to say anything to me? One word?" He was smiling in the camera.

"…Uh..."

"There we go! We got a word!" he shouted, interrupting him. "So, I heard about your team… Such a shame," he mused, feigning concern. "I always thought of dear old Robbie as unbreakable…guess I was wrong." Beast Boy clenched his fist, staring at the man with obvious distaste. "Gotta hand it to Deathstroke, if anyone could do it, it would be him. But, perhaps it isn't so difficult. I also managed to break a Robin myself, your Robin's replacement of course, but not exactly in the same way. Would you consider that the same thing? Deathstroke turning Robin into a ruthless assassin and me killing his replacement? I consider it the same," he said thoughtfully, his face scrunching up in thought.

"Both of you are pathetic human beings, so yeah, I guess it is the same. The only difference is that you are locked up," Beast Boy spat back.

"Oh, burn," he whispered. "I won't be in here for long, don't you worry about that. And I truly regret killing the kid, I just got carried away, I swear" he admitted, albeit quite unconvincingly. "The past is the past and I'm ready to move on, but are you? It seems to me that you are still looking for poor Robin. Well, actually, you are the unfortunate one if you think you are going to stop him. He has the power and training of Batman, with the insanity of Deathstroke. Good luck with that."

"I'm going to save him," Beast Boy stated resolutely.

"I'm sure you are. It went so well last time, why shouldn't it this time? I am sure that he will run into your arms when he sees you and your teammates and give you a big, fat hug! Oh, I forgot, you won't be with them, will you? You are on your own… Tsk, that's a shame… Even I have Harley…" Beast Boy's nails were starting to dig into his hands, but he couldn't feel it through the anger. "You know, your Robin is worse off than mine was, at least I put him out of his misery. That's the real difference between me and Deathstroke. I know when to put a creature down. He prefers to keep it as a pet."

"Robin is not his pet!"

"The evidence is to the contrary. Who did dear Robbie choose, twice may I add? He doesn't want you or your friends or old Bats. He just wants it to end."

"He doesn't want to die, he just needs help."

"Are you sure? Would you want to live?"

"I'm not going to let Robin die!" he shouted, his voice so loud that some of the other prisoners were beginning to investigate their doors.

"Okay, whatever you say," he obliged, holding his hands up in defeat. "When you come up with your master plan for saving him, please do share."

"I'm never coming back here."

"Oh, I'm hurt, Beast Boy. I thought we were becoming pals, giving advice, you know?"

"Not even close…"

"Here's a piece of advice, a courtesy really. Go home, wherever that is, and give up on him, you'll live longer… Of course, that's not accounting for freak accidents. Who knows, maybe you'll get hit by a bus. Life's just a big risk, ain't it?"

"I didn't ask for any advice, and I certainly wouldn't take any from you," Beast Boy growled.

"What do you plan on doing with him after you catch him, ever thought about that?"

"Whatever it takes." He was getting really sick of everyone asking him this question.

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Great plan. I can see it is well thought out," he mocked.

"I'm ready to leave," Beast Boy said through gritted teeth. Alfred nodded and the two turned around. Several voices echoed throughout the hallway as the prisoners became restless with all the noise. One female voice in particular stood out above all the others, calling out for someone.

"Beast Boy?" Joker began, preventing him from hearing what the voice was saying.

"What?!"

"I look forward to seeing Robin joining us." Beast Boy turned and looked at the screen, bewilderment on his features. A short pause of silence was followed by a loud, cracking laugh and Beast Boy turned around, obviously disturbed. Without a second's hesitation, he paced towards the exit, wanting desperately to get away from the maximum security ward. Alfred followed suit at a brisk pace, trying to keep up. He wanted to see if Beast Boy was okay, but he couldn't from his angle.

They made their way through all the security clearances in silence. All of their belongings, including their shoes, were handed back to them after they had been checked for any smuggled material. The sun was high in the sky when they stepped outside, they couldn't have been in there for more than an hour.

"Beast Boy," Alfred started, trying to stop the boy.

"What?" he asked, his voice edgy.

"Care to talk about what is wrong?" Beast Boy stopped in place, turning on Alfred and scratching his arm.

"Why would you bring me here? And why would you want me to talk to those lunatics?" This was the first time that Beast Boy had been anything but respectful to Alfred.

"You don't see why?" he countered, as if it was obvious.

"No, I really don't. I see no reason for going to visit them." Beast Boy continued to scratch his wrist with more rigor than before.

"As I said earlier, every person in that facility has a personal vendetta against Batman." Beast Boy raised his eyebrows, imploring Alfred to give an actual answer. "Master Bruce asked me to bring you here to show you what they were really like in there."

"Why?" Alfred walked towards the car, wanting more privacy. He needed Beast Boy to understand. The two got into the back and Alfred looked at him with fondness, sad that he had to be the person to explain this to him.

"Tell me, what was Robin like the last time you saw him?" Beast Boy narrowed his eyes, not understanding why he was asking this.

"He was… cold… I don't know."

"Beast Boy, if you want to get anywhere, I need a truthful answer."

With a sigh, Beast Boy thought back to New York. "I dunno, he was pretty robotic. Emotionless, I mean. It didn't feel like him," Beast Boy could see how these words could be turned on him. "But it was him, he was just conflicted. He has worked for Slade for so long, you know? It couldn't be easy for him to have these two different parts of his life fighting for him."

"You say he was emotionless, cold?"

"Yeah," Beast Boy affirmed reluctantly.

"I am trying to help you, Garfield. I am not trying to trick you," Alfred explained, putting his hand on Beast Boy's knee.

"Yes, he was empty, kind of dead inside," Beast Boy sighed.

"If you capture him, do you think that that will change?" Alfred asked earnestly. He sounded sincerely interested in what Beast Boy thought would happen.

"It's the only thing I can hope for. There is no other option," Beast Boy admitted, his face falling.

"I want you to listen to what I have to say and consider it completely before you go on your journey. This is something that you need to truly think about; I am not going to tell you what to do or try to stop you. You just need to know what the consequences could be." Alfred's voice was heavy, not like the voice Beast Boy had become accustomed to over the past week. He could tell that this was Batman's message.

"Okay," Beast Boy promised.

"Let us say you successfully capture Robin and get him back home. If he remains the same, refusing help and trying to escape, he only becomes a prisoner to you and your team, rather than to Slade. Either way, his situation stays the same." Beast Boy wanted to interrupt with the point that Robin would no longer be abused. "If he changes, which doesn't seem too likely, then he will be haunted by the memories of what he has done for the rest of his life. He will become a prisoner to his own conscience. It is possible that he may heal, but not many people can come back from something like that." Alfred paused. "Perhaps the most important point to consider is the fact that you are all on watch by the government. Merely being together can end with every one of you in prison. It wouldn't be long before they discovered Robin's whereabouts, and believe me, they would show no mercy for him. I have heard from reliable sources what has become of him, and it does not look good. Every prisoner you saw in there, every one of them shares one similarity, they are criminally insane killers. And guess what category Robin would be thrown under after getting one good look from a jury?" Beast Boy's face began to fill with turmoil as he understood why Alfred brought him here. "The most likely end for Robin, after bringing him home, would be a sentence to Arkham asylum, in maximum security with every single one of Batman's enemies. Naturally, they would all see this as an opportunity to get revenge on Batman. He probably wouldn't last a month in Arkham before they all killed him."

"Just like the other Robin…" Beast Boy huffed, reality really hitting him. He never even knew that Robin had a replacement…

"I'm not saying that those are the only two possibilities there are, but they are ones that you need to consider. Bruce wanted you to truly understand how dangerous this could be, for both you and Robin. He thought that it would be best to show you in person how many similarities there are between the people locked up in here and him." Alfred choked on the last few words, obviously pained to say them.

"He may be a killer, but he isn't like them. He isn't like the Joker. The Joker is a monster."

"All monsters are human, Garfield. That's what makes them so scary. The fact that any person could become _that_. That is what is truly terrifying."

-Paris-

The sky was gray, covered in dark clouds that made the morning seem like night. Dreary mornings were commonplace, and even provided coverage for those who didn't want to be seen. While the city's people were heading towards their average destinations, there was one man with a different agenda on his mind.

Loud footsteps sounded down the street and faint splashing came from puddles along the way. The road was empty, as it should be considering its state. Practically every building was out of business or set for demolition, this wasn't exactly the part of town that tourists went to. Nevertheless, the footsteps continued and their source made his way towards the dead end of the street. A particularly old building stood shorter than all the others, looking like a curios shop that had been shut down for years. Approaching the building, he surveyed the entire front. It didn't look like anything special, but he knew better. A very reliable source said that this was where it would be, and he doubted that that source had lied, not considering the methods he used to obtain the information.

He ran his hands along the brick, feeling for an answer, trying to find something. It couldn't be inside, there had to be something else to this building, something he wasn't seeing. The door was sealed off with wooden blocks, but there had to be another way in. Walking around, he craned his neck up, looking for a way in. In the far right corner, there appeared to be a broken window that was boarded up just so that he could slip in. Resisting the temptation to just crawl up and into the building, he stepped back, staring at the opening. He knew it was most likely guarded by something. It would be too easy to just go in and look around, and it was important that he was not seen. He would stake the place out, watching it until he was certain, then he would make his move.

"Come out and play…"

…

Robin walked along the corridor, his footsteps slow and silent. Slade was off somewhere, giving him his space to think. However, he honestly didn't know what to think. Slade giving him an offer like that didn't feel right, like it was a trick or a test of his loyalty. Yesterday's talk had raised some serious questions on his behalf. What was Slade's motivation behind this offer? And what would he really do if Robin chose to leave? There was no way that he would 'condition' him and let him just walk out. There had to be something more to it, something he wasn't telling him. Or maybe he would just shoot Robin if he chose to leave. He had worked so hard on forming the perfect apprentice, and sure, Robin had his flaws, but he wouldn't just give up so easily. And what were these plans that he believed to be so important that he was willing to release Robin for their sake?

The only thing Robin could think of was ruling something, what else could he possibly want? Perhaps he had just lied about not wanting to rule the world. However, he did actually seem offended by the suggestion. Could these greater plans actually be real? As much as he hated thinking it, perhaps he had been a part of something that he had never even realized. Yet he couldn't help but wonder how taking over cities would prepare him for it? What good could that possibly accomplish?

With a sigh, Robin stopped in front of the debriefing room, opening the doors and looking around. This room, though in other forms, had been his entire life. How many hours and days they had spent in these rooms, planning and working. He had always wanted to leave, but now that he was faced with the prospect, he was finding himself reluctant. He had become so accustomed to this lifestyle that he was starting to become attached to it. Sure, Slade may have tortured him and turned him into something that he didn't recognize, but there was more to it. They had lived together for the past three years, worked together, and had each other's backs on missions. They had even saved each other's lives on several occasions. Through all the pain and suffering, a sense of security had formed. Despite the fact that Slade was the only man who could and would kill him, he felt safe with him. It was sick and he knew it, feeling this way towards his captor. Whatever Slade did had worked.

Robin had always thought that his training was simply aimed towards turning him into an assassin, but it was actually to force a bond between the two. Slade's goal was to make him unable and unwilling to leave. If only Robin had realized it earlier, he may have prevented it, but he was just so focused on trying to do what was right. He spent so much effort trying to block out all feeling that he neglected to think what Slade was actually doing to him. Out of all the people for this to happen to, he never thought he was capable.

Robin looked around the room, memories coming back to him. Though the majority of them were bad, there were a few decent ones in there. Remembering what he was here for, he stepped forward, pausing before continuing to walk. He sat down in front of the computer screens, wiping a small amount of dust off of the keypad. The computer monitor lit up and Robin typed in the passcode, waiting patiently for it to warm up. After a few minutes, he started searching through the computer, checking every folder and every file, trying to find what he was looking for. He knew that it would still be on the computer, but Slade may have hidden it so that he couldn't find it. Several minutes passed until he found a sealed folder, which he then quickly broke into. He clicked on the most recent file, _March 2013,_ just a few months ago.

The silence in the room was pierced by the sounds of huffing, each blow becoming louder. Robin watched himself boxing on the screen, seeing the sweat dripping off of his forehead. He was training and Slade was probably off somewhere in the base, doing God knows what. Becoming bored with the video, Robin exited out and searched for an earlier date. Robin clicked on the first date that appeared, _August 2010,_ and a new video popped up. In this, he was still in his Titans uniform, a sight that threw him off. It was so odd to see himself in that uniform, he had almost forgotten what it looked like.

"_Okay, Robin. Here is how it is going to work. I am going to tell you what to do, and you will do it. If you do it incorrectly, then I will correct you. If you fail to do it at all, well, then, you remember what we discussed earlier." _Robin looked up at Slade, absolute loathing on his face. He stood sideways, trying to face away from the man and preparing to resist his commands. He didn't take orders from someone like Slade. He never would take orders from someone like Slade.

"_You won't get away with this."_ The conviction in Robin's voice was resounding, almost odd to hear. He never spoke with such passion, _ever._ Slade took a few steps forward, a threatening aura coming off of him.

"_Oh, I will Robin. Just you wait to see what I have in store for you," _Slade growled. Robin stopped the video. He had almost forgotten how threatening and commanding Slade was. After he had become more compliant with the man, the threats had almost completely ceased. Really, the past two years had been more like working with Slade as a partner than anything else. Curious, Robin fast forwarded a few days until something caught his eye.

"_Are you more willing to cooperate now?" _Slade taunted. Robin turned the sound up on the video and continued to watch as Slade circled him. He was lying on the ground, blood dripping off of his chin, and looking up at Slade with absolute loathing on his features.

"_I will never work for you!"_ he shouted, spitting blood out of his mouth and wiping his hair off of his face. This was followed by a swift kick to the abdomen on Slade's part, sending more blood flying out of Robin's throat as he coughed. He bent down and grabbed Robin's hair, pulling his face up to his own.

"_Really? Because I think that you aren't fully comprehending the situation that you are in. You are mine, and one day, you will come to accept that."_ Robin jerked his head back, forcing Slade to release his grip.

"_Never,"_ he repeated.

Robin exited out of the video, looking for something further along. _December 2010._ He had always wanted to see how this happened, but never thought to look at the security cameras. He sped through the video, searching for something specific. Several fights passed by before he finally found it.

The door opened and Robin walked in, donning his new mission uniform. His fists were clenched and one held a small flash drive. The distress was apparent on his face; he was not happy to be out doing Slade's bidding.

"_Have you retrieved the information?"_ Slade asked, approaching him from behind. Robin turned, clenching his jaw and holding out his hand.

"_I got what you wanted."_

"_Good," _Slade praised, taking the flash drive and examining it before pocketing it. "_So, how did your first mission go?" _

"_It wasn't my first mission…."_ Robin commented, slightly confused.

"_It was your first real mission. Everything else you have done has simply been a training exercise." _Robin huffed, rolling his eyes behind his mask. Figures that the past month was just a giant training exercise.

"_I'm going to go take a shower,"_ Robin stated, turning around and walking away. Slade followed him, the two heading out of the camera's view.

Robin quickly zoomed out, viewing a collage of different cameras. He could see himself walking in another frame before quickly being attacked by Slade. Stopping on that frame, Robin zoomed back in.

"_What are you doing?!" _he shouted, flailing out of Slade's grip. Slade didn't reply, but quickly pulled him back, shoving him against a wall and pinning his wrists with one hand. With his other hand, he pulled out a syringe, taking the plastic cover off with his teeth. "_What-?" _He quickly plunged the needle into Robin's neck, feeling his resistance slack immediately.

"_There we go…" _he whispered, holding Robin up as he began to fall limp. He propped the body over his shoulder, walking with him as if he weighed nothing.

Robin once again followed the trail along the cameras until he ended up in the medical bay. There, Slade laid Robin on a table and began to unzip his suit, pulling it down to his hips. He pulled a tray over, laying several towels around Robin's abdomen and arms.

He watched as Slade made slow and methodological cuts with a surgical knife. He was knocked out cold, but he remembered feeling the pain when he woke up. It looked a lot cleaner than he had imagined. He had always pictured him being sprawled out on the floor, being crudely carved with a kitchen knife. Of course, he should have known better; Slade had medical training.

Slade finished stitching up the fresh cut and doused it one last time with peroxide before cleaning the blood off of his arms and torso. Robin's eyes fluttered open a few times and he looked down, still drowsy from the drugs. All he could notice, through the haze of the room and the smell of rubbing alcohol and bleach, was a newly stitched up _S_ on his pectoral, right over his heart.

"_No-" _he moaned, his head falling back as he watched the room go dark again. Slade continued to work around him, eventually bandaging the wound and taking him out of the room. That was the first of the two incisions that were necessary to make his scar.

Robin didn't necessarily want to see the second one and exited out, looking for later dates. _June 2011_,one month before Batman would find him. He realized that only seven months had passed between the day he got his scar and the day Batman found him. Had that much changed in that short period of time? The video started.

Robin strolled into the room, his entire demeanor completely different than it was in the last video. His posture was rigid, his features were smooth rather than stressed, and his entire face was glazed over. Even through the video, one could tell that he wasn't all there mentally.

"_Slade,"_ he addressed, approaching the man.

"_Yes, Robin?" _Slade faced him, his demeanor calm.

"_Kretsky has issued a watch on all of his cartels, as well as an increase in security in and around his headquarters and house."_

"_I see…"_

"_I believe that we should infiltrate the security company that he uses. If we gain control of them, or even join them as an employee, then we can finish him off easier than we would have before." _

"_Hmm, that may just work," _Slade pondered. "_Do we know the contractor?"_

"_I already hacked their database and set us up as independent security services. We start on Monday. So long as we keep under the radar and away from Kretsky himself, no one should question our positions." _Slade smirked, obvious pride on his face.

"_Good job, looks like we may finish up here sooner than we thought." _Robin nodded, his face remaining motionless.

Robin continued to watch videos of them strategizing the takeout in Berlin, remembering every detail. That was arguably one of their best cities to date. Everything went so smoothly, and honestly, he had gained a lot of experience strategizing. He watched all the way up until Batman had showed up, which of course wasn't on tape, but he could tell when he watched himself return. Slade seemed happier and he seemed even more empty and dead, not to mention that he was pretty scuffed up from that fight.

Robin skipped ahead to a few months after New York, _November 2012._ Every screen was extremely still, it looked as if no one was there, but he knew that they hadn't done anything that month. He looked around for the cameras outside of his room, finding the hidden one that had been in his room the entire time. This must have been how Slade found out about his drinking problem. He zoomed in.

He had just come out of the bathroom and was now searching through his drawers. Pulling out a bottle, he plopped on the bed, swigging back as much as he could take without choking. It was another drastic jump, from the last video to this one. He wasn't wearing a mask anymore, but the more important change was in his daily activities. He had cleared nearly half of a bottle of whiskey in ten minutes and was now passed out on the bed, the bottle dropping out of his hands to the floor.

Robin watched himself on the screen, completely blacked out and useless. He was now realizing why Slade was so done with him. How had it gotten this bad? He knew what he was doing at the time, but he never really comprehended what it would have looked like to anyone else. The only thing he thought about was himself, and escape. And now, _this_ was what became of him. Becoming an assassin may have been a terrible downfall, but this was definitely worse. This was just a waste of life, something that he had always tried desperately to avoid.

He continued to skip around, watching day after day as he stumbled around, either drunk or injured. He could clearly see the frustration mounting in Slade as time continued on. The frustration quickly turned to anger reminiscent of the first few months of videos. He could see that Slade was planning something. He didn't like the look on Slade's face as he sat at his desk, thinking. Something about it was off. He actually looked distressed.

Robin stopped the video, exiting out of all the files and sighing. He pulled up the live security footage and searched around before getting up and walking out of the room. This was not acceptable.

"Slade," he called out, walking through the door to the training room. Slade was working with a heavy bag, warming up for his workout. Hearing his name, he stopped, taking a deep breath.

"Ah, Robin. Have you come to a decision?"

"I want to know what your plans are," he demanded. Slade took a step back; he hadn't heard that sort of assertion and certainty in Robin's voice in many months.

"Why should I feel the need to disclose my plans to you?" he posed, grabbing a towel and wiping his face. Robin looked down at the floor, thinking his words through carefully.

"I don't want to sit around getting drunk every day. If what you said is true, about your plans, then I'd much rather be doing that than what I have been doing for the past year."

"Are you saying you want to stay?"

"What choice do I have? It's not like I can just go back to a life as a hero, or as a citizen." Slade looked him over, the doubt apparent on his face. "This is who I am now, I don't know any other way…"

"It's going to take more than that to regain my trust." Slade gripped Robin's shoulder, looking him in the eyes. "Meet me in the ops room tomorrow, nine. We will see what we can do." Robin nodded, keeping his eyes locked on Slade's eye for a few more moments before turning away.

…

Soft beeping noises came from a cheap flip phone as the owner dialed. The phone rang several times before the call was answered.

"_You get anything?"_ the voice said.

"I am pretty sure I found the hideout, but I am going to wait until I am certain to make a move. I'm going to stake it out for a few days, wait for someone to come out. If not, then I will look further into breaking in, but for now I think it would be best to try to fish them out."

"_Should I come out?" _

"No, not yet. Only come out if we are absolutely certain. As soon as you get on that plane, I am at risk. If my boss finds out that I am helping you, then I am done for. Plus, we only have a few days after you arrive before they find out we are together. Let's use those days wisely."

"_Any other news?"_

"No, you get anything new?"

"_Nothing after last month. I've been following him for a while, but it appears that he has no idea. The other one is still in his place, so we don't have to worry about him anytime soon."_

"Are you sure?"

"_Yeah. And there actually was a new development, but I have to look into it before I assume anything. Just hurry up, I feel like I am wasting time here. I'm not going to get anything off of him." _

"You never know. And I am hurrying. Just be grateful that I'm helping you."

"_Don't pretend that you are in it to help me. You are in it for the same reason I am." _

"I'll call you if anything new happens."

"_Bye."_ He hung up the phone, sighing and putting it in his pocket. He looked up at the old shop, eyeing the broken window and contemplating how he should break in. _Three days…_ Three days and then he would make his move.

* * *

Some important developments are coming up soon. The story is going to be coming to a close in the relatively near future (not too near, so don't worry). So, for your information:

***** Within the next few chapters, I am going to give you guys an option to influence the ending. It won't be too revealing in nature, but it will definitely influence the outcome, so look out for that.

***** I am debating on what I want to do next. I am thinking about putting up a poll so that you can vote for what you would like to see. If I do, I will notify you in the author notes on a chapter. Look out for that too!

And a special thanks to everyone for making this story possible!


	26. A Path to Choose

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

* * *

-Paris-

"Slade-" Robin stopped in the doorway, regarding the man.

"Have a seat Robin," Slade replied, motioning to the chair next to him. The two chairs sat together, looking extremely close at such an elongated table. "We have much to discuss." Robin sat in the chair, scooting in and resting his hands at the table. "Before we can start anything, I need to know that you are completely serious in your commitment to remain with me."

"I am," Robin replied sharply.

"And how am I supposed to trust you?"

"I've realized how I have been acting and I don't want to waste any more time. If I am going to continue living, I might as well do something."

"That's odd, you now consider being an assassin to be something worth doing?" Slade chastised. "Unusual considering your past attitudes towards the matter."

"You said that you have greater plans. I am interested in hearing what they are. If they really are what you make them off to be, then I want to get behind them."

"First, before I even consider taking you back, you need to clean up." Slade motioned towards the bottles sitting on the table. "You also need to consider your health a top priority," he added, looking at the razor lying next to the bottles.

"I am clean, I dumped the bottles in my room down the sink last night."

"And injuring yourself? How about your trivial pursuit to find 'feeling'."

"I've come to realize that I don't need to feel. There was a reason that I had disposed of sensation so long ago." Slade looked genuinely curious, smirking at the sound of Robin's speech. He hadn't spoken with this much confidence in his entire apprenticeship. "It made me weak…"

"Hm… interesting perspective. So, you have no desire for emotion?"

"No," Robin replied decisively.

"Sometimes anger and pain can lead to strength," Slade pointed out, examining Robin's demeanor to determine if he had really changed at all.

"I have had enough anger and pain in my lifetime. I don't need anymore." Slade paused, looking into Robin's eyes and trying to see what was behind them.

"This is an awfully big change in such a short amount of time," he remarked, suspicious.

"Like I said, this is the only life that I know anymore. There is no changing and there is no leaving. I may as well accept what I am."

"Did you even consider my offer to leave? Perhaps that is truly what is best for you." Robin almost looked angry at the remark.

"I have no place in the world, so why would I want to go back?!" he shot back, his voice slightly raised. "Even if I did, it's not like you would actually let me leave anyways."

"What makes you say that? I am a man of my word."

"If you were so willing to let me leave, you would have done it a long time ago. And after all this effort you have put in to making me the perfect assassin? You wouldn't just let me walk out the door." Slade made a move to interrupt him, but Robin stopped him, knowing what he would say. "And I don't see you knowing the secret to erasing my memory, or brainwashing." Slade smiled, his expression devious.

"I never said that I would erase your memory. Don't you think that if I knew how to do that, I would have done it when I first kidnapped you?" Robin huffed, staring at the man. "As for brainwashing, that isn't exactly a science and many doubt that it can even be done. Of course, the real equivalent is merely conditioning. It is all in positive and negative reinforcement. What do you think I did to make you into the assassin that you are?" It was true, he had used a large amount of time and manipulation to change Robin. It was obvious that he had the means to change him again. "If you chose to leave, then I would have spent a few months conditioning you so that you wouldn't repeat a word of what happened here. It would take time to find an effective motivator, but I do believe your cumulative assassination record would be sufficient." Robin tilted his head, interested to hear Slade's plan. "If you truly wanted to leave, then you would be greatly threatened by the prospect of your death count being exposed. Surely you wouldn't want to end up in prison, or the chair…" Robin knew that this was more of a threat than an explanation. _Cross me and it will be your end._

"I have nowhere and no one to go to. This is all I have."

"Alright then, we will resume with the takeover in Paris. When we are done and you have proven your loyalty is genuine, I will tell you my plans," he offered. This was a more than a generous deal, at least in his opinion.

"No," Robin stated, causing Slade to pause. Robin never said no to him. "If you expect me to trust you and work with you, I expect you to share your plans with me. Otherwise, how do I know that you aren't playing me?" His confidence was a little concerning to Slade. However, if he was ever to take over the mission himself, he would need confidence.

"Do not speak to me like that."

"It is a valid argument, you know that." Slade glared at him, looking for some waver in his resolve, but none ever came.

"This is my final offer," he said, his voice vexed. "We will begin preparations here, I will share with you the absolute basics of my plans, and after we finish, I will reveal everything to you. Sound fair?"

"Certainly," Robin replied, smirking. This Robin was entirely new to Slade, almost malicious. He wasn't sure if he liked it.

"Let us get to work then," Slade replied, asserting his dominance as he pulled a large stack of files forward.

-Gotham: One Week Later-

Beast Boy sat in his room, staring at the wall with a blank expression on his face. He was so far off in concentration that he completely forgot where he was. His visit to Arkham Asylum had opened his eyes, and only raised more questions. Unfortunately, Gotham had been rampant with criminals. Whenever Bruce wasn't off fighting crime, he was at Wayne Enterprises trying to settle a dispute, the nature of which Beast Boy had no idea. He had no time to talk with Beast Boy at all, and quite frankly, Beast Boy felt like he was avoiding him.

Anytime the two would cross paths in the manor, he would just rush away, insisting that he had somewhere to be. He even tried approaching him in his office, but once again, Bruce claimed that he needed to concentrate on work. Beast Boy, despite needing his help, was about to walk out and find his way on his own. He already knew exactly where Cyborg was living, and he would just steal the file anyways. The questions he had were seeming less important as time passed on.

Alfred attempted to keep him occupied, so as to ease his mind and procrastinate, but Beast Boy became less interested in their planned activities with every passing day. They were running out of things to do. On the bright side, upon his request, Alfred gave him a laptop to use. He had finally gotten to do some of the research that he wanted. Naturally, the first thing that he searched for was who Bruce Wayne had taken on as a ward. He read through every article on Dick Grayson that there was and felt that he knew enough to piece everything together. It had surprised him that they had both lost their parents in such a similar manner, yet neither had ever said a word about it. They could have been so much closer if he had known.

After the excitement of learning all about Robin's past and identity, he found himself becoming frustrated with the remainder of his research. There was nothing whatsoever on Cyborg, whose name he had gotten from his file, nor was there anything on Raven. Of course, that was a longshot, considering that he didn't have her full name and she was from a different planet. There was a short article on Starfire's deportation, but beyond that, there was nothing on her. He had come across a large collection of articles from Jump, documenting many of their escapades as a team, and had spent an entire day reading them. Alfred, understanding that he didn't want to come out of the room, had left food at the door for him. He had neglected to read the articles on New York.

Today, he was searching for any information on Clark Evans and Vince Burtes. He recalled Bruce saying that the two were still investigating them. With all the time in the world, he figured there had to be something of use on them. Their names showed up in articles on crimes, citing them as police officers on the scene, but other than that, there was nothing to aid him. It was still a mystery as to why they were so adamant to destroy his friends. All of Bruce's hypotheses were valid possibilities, but none really had a true motive that he could believe. Clark had lost his career in the endeavor. Certainly Vince wouldn't continue on the mission and risk his career if it weren't for something important.

Snapping the computer screen shut, he jumped off of the bed, walking down the hall until he reached the stairway.

"Alfred!" he called out, hoping that he was near enough to hear. Before long, the butler showed up at the bottom of the staircase, holding a tray with cleaning supplies.

"Yes, Garfield?" he asked, his demeanor kind despite being interrupted.

"I want to speak to Bruce. Today," Beast Boy demanded.

"Master Bruce is very busy with negotiations today. Perhaps anot-"

"No," he cut in, "tell him that I am leaving tomorrow, with or without having spoken to him. If he wants one last opportunity to tell me about the dangers of my mission, then it will have to be tonight." Alfred looked taken aback. They had stalled long enough, it was time.

"I will call him," he resigned, taking a small bow and walking back through the corridor. He made his way to the kitchen, grabbing the phone and dialing for Bruce.

"_Alfred, I am very busy right now, can you call later?" _

"I am sorry, Master Bruce, but it is Garfield. He is insisting upon seeing you."

"_Tell him that I am busy and I will speak with him later,"_ the voice replied, obviously irritated.

"I did, and he threatened to leave for Boston tomorrow, with or without having spoken to you."

"_Boston?... Fine, tell him I will speak with him in the evening." _

"Yes, sir. Sorry to have disturbed you."

"_It's fine, just make sure he doesn't leave." _

"Of course," he replied, hanging up the phone and sighing. Straightening out his bowtie, he walked out of the room, continuing with his daily duties.

-Paris-

"Robin?" Slade called, approaching the chair from behind.

"Yes?" he replied, turning around and spilling some papers on the ground in the process. He had been working on their takeover since the day Slade had told him the fundamentals of his plan. The two barely stopped to eat, let alone sleep. They had so much lost time to catch up on, and Robin was not going to rest until they regained their momentum. Slade was actually quite impressed, perhaps he should have told Robin years ago. He didn't really expect him to have such a positive reaction.

"I have some news for you," he replied, his voice malevolent. He dropped a piece of paper on Robin's lap, watching his face for a reaction. Robin picked it up and began to read, his features remaining expressionless.

"I see…" he whispered, staring at the paper. Slade searched for anything in Robin's demeanor, but it was solid. Robin handed the paper back and turned around, preparing to continue working. He was slightly peeved at being interrupted during his train of thought.

"What, no reaction at all?" Slade taunted. Giving him this information was more of a test than anything.

"It was only a matter of time before it happened anyways…" he muttered.

-Gotham-

Beast Boy was led into Bruce's office in the evening, where he was met with a very solemn face. Thanking Alfred, he took a seat in front of the desk, trying to muster up any confidence that he could. After all, he had been the one that insisted upon seeing Bruce.

"Thank you, Alfred," Bruce said, looking over at him, "If you would shut the door behind you?" Alfred nodded and closed the door, his face falling upon doing so. After the door shut, Bruce sighed and looked at Beast Boy.

"I know you are busy, and I'm sorry for taking your time, but I really would like to get going soon… Sitting around like this makes me…" Beast Boy cut off, searching for the right word. "I just want to keep moving." Bruce nodded, avoiding looking him in the eye.

"And what are your plans after you leave? Your immediate plans, I mean," he asked, sitting back.

"Well, I'm going to go meet with Cyborg and we will probably spend a while trying to figure out where Robin is. In the meantime, we will try to assemble as much of our team as possible."

"How so?"

"I figured we would visit Tameran and try to send out a message to Raven… Otherwise, we will just try to figure out our next move. If we have to, we can go at it alone," he mused, letting all of his thoughts spill out without any order.

"Can you not plan more while you are here? Why are you so eager to leave tomorrow?"

"I've done all the research I can here. Plus, I need someone else to bounce ideas off of. I'm kind of at a dead end right now," he admitted. It wasn't like Bruce was helping him much anyways.

"So you are still set on finding Robin?" Bruce sighed, disappointment in his voice.

"…Yeah… I really thought about what Alfred said, but I'm not just going to give up because of the risk. If everyone did that, no one would be doing any good in the world. If you did that, imagine where Gotham would be…"

"I see… May I ask you one question? And will you answer it honestly?"

"Sure." Bruce took a moment, catching Beast Boy's eye with his somber expression.

"Why are you so determined to save him?" he asked, placing emphasis on the word _save_. "I understand that you want justice, but there is more to it than that. I want to know the full reason that you feel the need to risk your life to save someone who doesn't want to be saved." Beast Boy had expected a more complex question than that, something so simple and obvious was slightly surprising.

"I mean, he is my friend… and he has been our leader for so long. Our team is nothing without him."

"Is that all? Because it seemed to me that Raven and Cyborg were both competent leaders," Bruce pointed out, causing Beast Boy to sigh.

"No, you don't get it… We all-we came from nowhere, we all had nowhere to go. I had just left the Doom Patrol, I didn't know a single person in Jump, let alone in the States. Raven was just wandering around without any sense of real friendship, and Cyborg was living on the streets, trying to hide who he really was. Star, she was a prisoner, doomed to live out the rest of her days as a slave on some foreign planet. None of us had any future, any purpose, until Robin came around. He made us what we are today, he made us into a team." Beast Boy's voice was becoming more confident with every word. "He showed us all what it was like to have friends that truly care about you. We were a team because of him, we became something worth being. Suddenly, we were stopping crime and helping an entire city. Rather than wasting our lives wandering around, we were making a difference, and that was all because of him. Without him, who knows where we would even be today? None of us would be the same people we are, and I'm sure that it was his role in our lives that made the difference. That's why I refuse to give up. Everyone keeps saying to forget him, but he never left us behind. After all that he has done for us, the least we can do is to help him get away from his captor. If we gave up, it would just mean that we hadn't learned anything that he taught us… He gave me a life, it only makes sense that I should give him his back in return." Beast Boy finally stopped, saying all that he had to say.

Bruce sat silently, considering everything that he had said. Now he finally understood the reason that Beast Boy had been the one to never let go. To him, he owed his entire life to Robin. His attachment was so much deeper than mere friendship. There would be no stopping him from continuing on his journey. He would go until the end, until the day he died, if that's what it took.

"Thank you for being completely honest. I now feel that I have a better grasp of the situation. Since you had your speech on why you are leaving, let me have my speech on why you shouldn't." Beast Boy scoffed at that, but Bruce continued. "I can't allow myself to let you go without at least saying these words, so please, just give me your attention for the time being." Beast Boy nodded, crossing his arms.

"You believe that your mission is to go after a long time friend?" he posed.

"Er, yeah." Beast Boy was confused, what kind of question was that?

"I think that you forget that you aren't going after Robin, your leader. If you should have learned anything from New York, it is that he is not the same person that you lost. No matter how much you may deny it, Robin is a highly trained assassin, nothing more. He may have the same body, but he is not the same person in any way. He is an effective killing machine, rumored to have killed other high profile assassins. Who you are going after is one of the most dangerous assassins in the world, not to mention that he is teamed up with another one of the most dangerous criminals in the world. Even for your team, surviving in a fight with him is quite a feat."

"He didn't kill us in New York," Beast Boy stated.

"No, but there were dozens of officers closing in and SWAT was on the way. He had to leave before he was surrounded." Beast Boy was about to interrupt, but Bruce held his hand up, silencing him. "Just know that in pursuing him, you are placing yours and your friend's lives on the line. Even I would be cautious in pursuing them."

"I am being cautious, we won't make mistakes this time. We will be prepared."

"Even so, it is beyond dangerous, and not just for you. Remember, everything you do leads to consequences, Beast Boy. You may think that your actions only affect those closest to you, but they affect everyone. Your escapades in New York had serious implications for the superhero world. Not only did your team come under investigation and disgrace, but every other _vigilante_ had to deal with the aftermath as well." He leaned in, making sure that Beast Boy fully understood. "While you were all being separated off into your _safe houses_, everyone in the Justice League had been called upon for investigation. This included me. Every one of us had to fight for our right to do our jobs, all while the public was in outrage over self-delivered justice. The League was almost disbanded and we had to spend a lot of time underground, laying low until the fires of your actions died out." Beast Boy's eyes were wide. He had never realized that other heroes had to deal with that as well.

"I-I…"

"Even now, we still have problems with the government breathing down our necks. Everything we do is being watched, even to this day, even a year later…"

"I'm sorry… I didn't realize," Beast Boy breathed, his voice genuine.

"I just want you to understand that what you do affects others. It is important that you consider the people around you before you do anything." Beast Boy nodded with sincerity.

"I'll be as careful as possible, I promise." Bruce could see how earnest he was, which made it harder to look at him. He couldn't put this off any longer.

"Beast Boy… I'm afraid I have some news for you," he announced. Beast Boy caught the hesitation in his voice, not liking the sound of it.

"…Okay…" he said reluctantly. Bruce straightened out, pulling something out of the drawer to his right. He took a silent breath, fixing his features before sliding a piece of paper across to Beast Boy, who just looked at it. "Shou-should I?" he asked, his voice shaky. Bruce didn't reply, but rather looked at the paper.

"I received word a few days ago… I've been waiting for the right moment to tell you," Bruce commented, watching Beast Boy pick up the piece of paper. Several moments of silence passed, seemingly dragging on forever. Beast Boy read and re-read each line, waiting for the words to change.

"It-is? Is this real?" he asked, his voice quivering as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"As far as I can tell. I'm sorry, Garfield," Bruce offered, his voice cold as stone. Beast Boy stood up, slamming the paper on the desk and staring at Bruce. His arm shook as he dug his nails into the wood. His breathing was ragged and sharp as he closed his eyes shut. He could not, he would not cry right now. He needed to be strong for the time being. There would be time to feel later.

"What was the cause of death?" he demanded, opening his eyes and glaring at the man sitting so calmly across from him. Bruce hesitated to answer, not wanting to provoke him further.

"Gunshot wound to the head," he replied emptily. He wasn't prepared to handle things like this. Beast Boy gritted his teeth, exposing them in a grimace. With a growl, he stood tall, pushing off the desk and crumbling the paper in his hands. Before Bruce could say another word, he whipped around, storming out of the room in a fury. Alfred jumped back as Beast Boy slammed the door open.

"Garfield?" he whispered, trying to soothe him without getting near him. He could see the rage coming off of him in waves. Without even acknowledging Alfred's presence, Beast Boy ran down the hallway, not particularly going anywhere. Through nearly twenty minutes of running around, tears streaming down his face, he finally stopped at a door, slamming it open and falling to his knees inside.

He cried out, pounding his fists on the ground and falling into a heap. His hands unclenched and the sound of crinkling paper filled his ears. He looked at the paper, opening it again and reading the name through watery eyes. _Victor Stone, aged 24_. Dropping the paper on the ground, he wiped his face and huffed.

"I will kill whoever did this to you," he growled maliciously. "A slow and painful death…" The rage began to fill inside of him until he felt like he would burst if he didn't do something. Standing up, he walked towards the edge of the room, grabbing the wooden coat hanger and slamming it to the ground. Feeling some relief, he continued thrashing the room until there was nothing left unbroken. Only then did he finally crumble into a ball on the floor, succumbing to his despair.

-One Week Later-

Alfred stood in the kitchen, making preparations for dinner. The manor had been silent all week and Beast Boy was scarcely seen, except when he was moping about. He had tried to reach out to him, but every time he did, Beast Boy would insist that he was busy. Bruce had become concerned that he was going to do something rash, considering all the time he spent shut up in his room, planning.

"Alfred," Bruce started, standing in the doorway. "There's a problem at Arkham, I'm probably going to be out all night. Do watch Garfield, I don't want him doing anything or going anywhere."

Alfred bowed, "Yes, Master Bruce." He turned and continued chopping onions, knowing that this dinner would likely not be served tonight. Bruce regarded him before rushing out of the room and to his office. Supposedly, there was a riot going on in the main cells between a large number of rival gang members. He just was thankful that it didn't have anything to do with the maximum security ward. Enough time had been wasted capturing them in the first place. With that thought, he tilted the bust and opened the path to the cave. Without any regard, he rushed to the computer, quickly scanning the security footage from Arkham. Things were not looking good. He quickly got dressed and hopped into the car, speeding out of the cave and heading towards the trouble.

The cave became silent as the door shut behind the car, but it was not empty. Beast Boy walked out from the staircase, having used the dim lighting to hide before Bruce left. He ran to the computer, praying that Bruce had left it open. Fortunately, in his haste, he had not locked it, leaving Beast Boy to all the information he needed. He knew that Bruce would know if he used the computer, so he had one shot to get everything. He exited out of the security footage and searched through the folders until he found the personal information database. There wasn't time to actually read through anything, so he just printed it all out. He accessed Robin's hero file, his Grayson file, Cyborg's updated file, and his own file, grabbing the paper as it printed out. There were just a few more files he needed, which he printed out, leaving a large stack on the table. Lastly, he took a blank sheet of paper, writing a note on it.

With all the information that he needed in his hands, he ran back upstairs and to his room, stashing the paper into his suitcase. There was just one last thing that he needed to do before he left. Rushing down the hall, he turned the corner, sliding to a stop when confronted with Alfred.

"Where are you going that is so urgent?" he asked. Beast Boy huffed, trying to catch his breath. His face was bright red and he struggled to come up with an excuse.

"I-I came to look for you," he lied.

"Oh? What for?" Alfred asked, sensing the lie.

"I wanted to thank you for everything that you have done for me," he replied, this time telling the truth. Alfred narrowed his eyes.

"That sounds like a goodbye to me."

"I can't stay here forever."

"No, of course not. However, Master Bruce and I think that it is for the best if you stay here a little while longer."

"I'm sorry, but I have no reason to stay here any longer. It would just be a waste of time," he affirmed.

"Just a few more days? Where are you going that is so important, then?"

"I'm going to find my team," Beast Boy stated, his voice confident.

"Your team?" Alfred asked, concern in his voice. "Garfield, perhaps you need more time to grieve."

"No, sitting around and pitying myself will accomplish nothing. Right now, I need to push emotions aside and focus on the rest of my team. I can't be weak, not now."

"Garfield, grieving a lost friend is not weakness, it is perfectly natural." He placed his hand on Beast Boy's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"All emotion is weakness. That is why we failed last time," he murmured, "We let our emotions get in the way…." He looked up, staring Alfred in the eyes. "Goodbye, Alfred. I will always appreciate everything you did for me. I hope we get to meet again," he said. It was more or less a white lie, he was pretty sure that he would never see Alfred again. Pushing the sadness aside, he smiled at the man.

"Master Bruce will not be happy," Alfred sighed. "I do hope that we get to meet again. Be careful out there, Garfield." Beast Boy pulled him into an unexpected hug. After a few seconds, he let go, turning around and walking back to his room. He had a feeling that Alfred would not let him just walk through the front door. Everything would be easier if he just left silently.

He turned the corner, not looking back. There was no time to look back, the only place to go was forward, as painful as it was. Beast Boy gathered his things, closing the suitcase and deciding a new course of action. Looking around the room one last time, he opened the window and leaped onto the roof. He transformed into a large bird, grasping his suitcase with his talons and flying off into the night without a second thought.

Alfred watched through the window of the hallway, sighing. He had just allowed the one thing to happen that Bruce had specifically told him not to. Knowing where Beast Boy had probably been, he walked into Bruce's study and opened the cave. The screens were still open on the file of Clark Evans and a piece of paper lie on the keyboard. Alfred picked it up, reading it under the light of the screens.

_Dear Bruce, _

_ Please forgive me for breaking into your computer, but I really needed the information. Everything that you said to me helped a lot with deciding what I need to do. You and Alfred really opened my eyes and I hope that I can help Robin without ruining anyone else's lives. Thanks for opening your home to me and being so kind, both of you. Once again, I apologize for leaving so soon. _

_PS. I stole $200, I promise I will pay it back one day._

Alfred chuckled. So that had been what Beast Boy was doing in the hallway before he found him.

…

Beast Boy stood in front of the train tracks, waiting for any train that was heading in the right direction. He was originally going to buy a bus ticket, but seeing as how he was interrupted by Alfred, he never got the opportunity to steal any money. He was kind of glad that he didn't though. He would have felt extremely guilty during the entire bus ride, especially after how well they had treated him. Hearing a horn in the distance, he transformed back into a bird, flying around the tracks until it approached. Landing on the freight train, he climbed down the ladder on the side and broke the lock. It took some effort to open the door while the train was moving, but he managed to get a big enough gap to slide through.

Once inside, he curled up in between two large crates, sighing and closing his eyes to finally sleep. "Show no weakness," he whispered, nodding off immediately.

-Boston-

The sounds of water splashing and bubbles rushing filled a large, dark room. Several men stood around a large glass tank of water, watching through the dim light that came from inside the tank. The large chair inside the water was pulled up and sound of coughing and sputtering quickly followed. Before the man had any time to regain his breath, he was dunked in again. As more bubbles came up to the surface, a well-dressed woman came into the room, looking around at the men standing near the tank.

"How is it going?" she asked,

"Still hasn't gotten-" one man began, cutting off when a large splash came from the tank. One of the arms of the chair flew out towards them all. Within seconds, the man inside climbed out, dropping to the floor and regaining his breath. He stepped forward, standing straight and regarding the woman.

"I'm impressed, Victor," she said, smirking. He looked her in the eye, grimacing as he spit more water out of his mouth.


	27. Delusions

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Due to my week off from work, I am proud to be able to publish another chapter so quickly! Enjoy!

* * *

-Gotham-

"He left?"

"I'm afraid so, sir. There was nothing I could do to keep him from leaving. He did leave this note for you, however." Alfred handed Bruce the note, a small smile threatening to come out.

"First, he destroys Robin's old room, then he steals two hundred dollars…" Bruce scoffed, reading the note.

"If I may point out, he most likely did not realize which room he was in."

"And the money?"

"I assume he needed it to get wherever he is going," Alfred answered. "I searched for any missing money around the estate, but nothing was out of balance. He may not have went through with it since I interrupted him when he was on his way." Bruce sighed, handing the paper back.

"This kid is going to get himself killed…"

"I don't know, sir. He certainly does have determination."

"Having determination isn't nearly enough," Bruce commented, walking towards his office. Alfred nodded in response, following him.

"What would you like me to do?" Alfred asked, opening the door.

"Keep an eye out on him," Bruce responded, taking a seat behind his desk. "For now, just keep your distance."

Alfred bowed, "Yes, sir."

-Jump City-

Beast Boy had been hopping trains for the past two days, trying to get to California. He occasionally got some sleep, but he tried to stay awake so he could keep track of where he was. To kill the time, he began reading through the large stacks of files that he had, focusing on Cyborg's death report. Something about it was off. It was just so sudden and unexpected, and the police report didn't detail the circumstances very well. The only explanation it offered was that he had been in the crossfire of a gang war and had been shot point blank in the face. Somehow, Beast Boy couldn't see Cyborg going down that easily. Perhaps he had been trying to stop them all on his own…

Robin's file was rather interesting since it had all the work that Clark had done on it. Despite that, Beast Boy still couldn't manage to get into Clark's head. There was no plausible reason for him to start the investigation, nor was there an explanation as to why there was such detail on the Titans whereabouts in New York. Every one of their files had extensive paperwork on the aftermath and their placements, as well as the check-ins. The only file seriously lacking in anything was Raven's. She had several articles on the police reports and her supposed leave date, along with a report documenting her disappearance, but nothing else. It would be nearly impossible to find her.

The train slowed to a stop at a checkpoint and Beast Boy jolted up. He peeked outside of the door, looking to see where he was. To his surprise, he was just one town over from Jump City. This was where they used to gas up when driving anywhere out of town. Closing the door quietly, he ran back in and stashed his suitcase in between two crates and transformed into a fly. It took nearly ten minutes for the inspectors to visit his box, but the train was moving again before long. He was rather glad that that would be his last inspection checkpoint.

Another half hour passed before Beast Boy opened the door. He would have to fly the rest of the way since the tracks deviated away from the city. Grasping the suitcase with his talons, he flew off, listening to the door slam behind him. It would be a long flight to the inner city and he didn't have much practice lately. Hoping that he could make it, he pushed on, thanking the heavens that there was no wind today. He arrived in the town twenty minutes later, desperately needing a break. He transformed into his human form behind a bush, getting several looks from people when he crawled out, looking homeless. He_ had_ just spent two days on a train.

Ignoring the stares and whispers, he walked along the streets, admiring the city that he used to know so well. Several of his favorite shops had gone out of business and one building had gone under complete re-construction. It was odd to see so much change. He felt like he had only been gone for a little while. Being back made him feel like no time had passed at all. He was home.

His stomach growled greedily as he looked around at all the restaurants. He was starving, but he had no money whatsoever to buy food with. Smelling a particularly nostalgic smell, he stopped and turned around. Standing behind him was their favorite pizza shop. He smiled, looking up at the balcony. Normally seeing something like that would make him sad, but he felt a sense of joy looking at it. He had so many fond memories there that he couldn't feel anything but happy looking at it. Walking inside, he admired the decorations, which were exactly the same as when they had left. He would have liked to stay, but the smell was making him so hungry that he felt sick. Plus, he needed to get home soon.

After another hour of walking, he finally started to get near the bay. He loved the smell of the ocean, but he never realized how much more crisp it was up in Oregon in comparison. The water here just didn't smell as fresh. He followed the shoreline until he found a steel crate in the ground, which he promptly opened and jumped into. Plopping to the floor, he turned around, trying to see through the black of the tunnel. It would normally be lit up, but considering that no one lived here anymore, it was understandable. He blindly made his way through the tunnel, hoping that nothing had taken up a home in the darkness.

It felt like it went on forever, mostly due to his slow walking pace. He had never noticed how lengthy it was before, mostly because they always drove through it. He considered transforming into a possum so that he could see, but then he wouldn't be able to carry the suitcase, and he was not coming back through this tunnel. A wall brushed his hands and he stopped, feeling around for a latch. He struggled to get a grip on the small metal bar, but once he did, he yanked the roof down, revealing a staircase. Throwing his suitcase through the hole, he climbed up, coughing on the dust flying around the floor.

The garage was lighter than the tunnel, but still dark. Not stopping, Beast Boy scooped up his suitcase and made his way out of the garage and into the front room, where he began trekking up the stairs. There was no way the elevator would be running. He was still amazed that no one had touched the Tower. Somehow, he always assumed that the police confiscated it and turned it into a hotel or a museum. He slammed the door open, strolling into the ops room and dropping his suitcase on the floor. Without so much as a glance around, he made for the hallway, heading for his room. He plopped onto his old bed, once again coughing on the dust that flew into the air, and settled down to sleep.

It was dark before he woke up and for the briefest of moments, he truly believed that he was back at the Tower with his team. It didn't take long for reality to kill his delusion as he opened his eyes. Everything in his room was filthy, not that it wasn't before, but now it spoke of neglect. He stood up, walking to his closet and pulling out one of his old uniforms. It had been so long since he had worn a uniform that he didn't even know if he liked it anymore. He pulled it on, struggling to get it over his shoulders. Surprisingly, he had grown quite significantly over the past year. Casting the uniform aside, he pulled his jeans back on, admitting defeat.

His stomach growled and he remembered just how hungry he was. There had to be some money lying around somewhere. It wasn't like they took everything when they left for New York. They had assumed that they were coming back. If anything, it was probably in Cyborg's room. Venturing down the hallway, he opened the rusted door to Cyborg's room, hardening himself and walking in. He began searching through the drawers, taking no time to look at anything in remembrance. There was about three hundred dollars in one of the drawers, which he quickly grabbed. He would take Robin's old motorcycle into town to get some food since the T car had been confiscated last year. Passing through the ops room, he stopped in the kitchen, looking to see what they had in their cupboards.

There were several boxes of tea, some ingredients that he couldn't identify, boxed pasta, and spices. He walked over to the fridge, looking inside for the rotten food that must have been leftover from a year ago. Much to his surprise, the fridge was on and filled with fresh food. Letting his hunger trump his logic, he snatched up some leftover pizza and began scarfing it down. Still hungry, he started nibbling on a block of cheese, closing the door and walking into the living room. His suitcase, which he had thrown near the couch, was now gone.

Dropping the cheese, he ran over, searching everywhere, but not finding it. He looked around the room, now on guard. Cursing under his breath, he began to walk through the hallways, hoping that he had just gone crazy. As much as he would like to deny it, someone must have been living there if the electricity was running and there was fresh food. He turned the corner, heading towards Robin's room in a hunch. When they had left, the hallway was still full of ash from the Tower explosion, but now it was extremely clean. He approached the door, déjà vu setting in. Why was it that his room had become a consistent source of terror?

The door slid open on its own and he rounded the corner, preparing to transform on the spot. Before he could, he froze, his eyes widening. Someone was sitting at the desk, reading the newspaper with his feet up. The boy looked over to him, a black and white mask covering his eyes and dark black hair falling around his face. He put the newspaper down and stood up, letting his black and yellow cape fall around him.

"Robin?" Beast Boy asked breathlessly. He felt like someone had punched him in the ribcage.

"Hello, Beast Boy," he replied, his voice dark and a smirk on his face.

-Boston-

"Don't make me ask again!" a man shouted, pointing a gun at Victor's head. Victor remained silent, staring him in the eyes with determination. The man smiled, pulling the gun back. "Let's play a game, Victor. It's like Russian roulette, except with a semi-automatic. Either you tell me everything you know, or I shoot," he threatened, cocking the gun and pressing it into his forehead.

"Fine, I'll play," Victor shot back, his resolve remaining strong despite his situation. The man slapped him across the face with the pistol, this time pressing it between his eyes. "I'll tell you what a piece of shit you are." The man smiled, resting his finger on the trigger.

"You shouldn't have said that," he chuckled, pulling the trigger all the way back. Victor winced at the sound of the click, but quickly regained his composure. "Guess you are lucky that I put an empty cartridge in this time…" the man remarked, stepping back. "I'll be back, I'm not done with you." With that, the man walked out of the room, leaving Victor by himself. He dropped his head down, looking at his lap and taking a deep breath.

Across the room, behind the two way mirror, the man stood with a woman. She looked over, grabbing the gun from his hand.

"Do you see him giving in any time soon?" she asked, taking the cartridge out and tossing it aside.

"No, we have been at it for a few days now. He hasn't eaten or bathed, only getting the minimal amount of water to survive. He still doesn't show any hesitation," the man reported, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Victor.

"He flinched when you pulled the trigger…" she mused, slamming a loaded cartridge into the gun. "Fix that."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, taking the gun that she held out in front of him.

-Jump City-

Beast Boy sat on the couch, looking down at the spread out files.

"So, you read everything?" he asked, his voice defeated.

"Why yes, I did, Garfield Logan." Beast Boy sighed. He thought that he would have some peace at the Tower. "I will tell you, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Batman is Bruce Wayne."

"Why are you even here?" he asked, feeling extremely guilty for having given away Bruce's identity.

"Well, unlike you guys, I had nowhere to go after New York. I saw that the Tower was going to be left alone and thought that it would be my best bet… I never realized what a nice place you guys had here. Hard to maintain with one person, though."

"Er…yeah. What I don't understand is why you are wearing Robin's uniform…" Beast Boy pointed out, his voice edgy. He didn't like Robin's uniform being disrespected in such a way.

"Well, it is really your fault that I had to switch costumes anyways."

"What?! How is it my fault?" Beast Boy asked, outraged.

"Do you not remember that you guys pinned everything on me? I had the entire police force of New York looking for me, and for something I didn't even do! I never attacked you guys, and I certainly never destroyed an entire street! Of course, we all know who really did that," he added deviously.

"Shut up."

"Oh, I would be kinder to me if I were you. After all, I am being kind enough to let you stay in my Tower," he chuckled. Beast Boy growled, but held his tongue. "That's better. Anyways, I had to ditch the Red X costume and make my way back to Jump. Everyone here would recognize me if I started wearing my costume again, so I decided to take on another persona. And that's when I got the idea!" he exclaimed, seemingly proud. "Robin had gone missing and was in no way officially tied to anything in New York, so he still had a good reputation, at least here. I had already borrowed a costume design from him before and it wasn't like he was using this one anymore anyways. So, I took it upon myself to become the new Robin of Jump. Most people can't even tell the difference, some even think that I am old Grayson, come back to save the city!" he laughed.

"Don't call him by his real name… That goes the same for me, Cyborg, and Batman," Beast Boy demanded. He was not playing games when it came to secret identities.

"The government already knows your identities, it's not like it is a secret anymore," Red X pointed out. "Plus, Cyborg's isn't really relevant anymore…" Beast Boy slammed his hand on the table, causing Red X to jump.

"Don't-you-ever talk about Cyborg," he growled, his voice truly menacing. Red X held his hands up in peace, for once becoming serious.

"Look, I didn't mean that in a rude way. I'm really sorry about what happened," he apologized. "I promise I won't tell anyone your identities, okay?" Beast Boy unclenched his fist, sitting back and trying to calm down. "Can I say one more thing about him though?" he asked, trying to keep the peace.

"What?"

"I don't think that this report is telling the whole story… If I were you, I'd go to Boston and actually look into it," he advised.

"What? Wait, why are you _helping _me?"

"I'm not helping you. After all, you are the reason that I can't live anywhere back East anymore… But to me, it is obvious that there is something off with this report. I may be a criminal, but I'm not an asshole. For the most part…" Beast Boy eyed him suspiciously. Red X was not one to help others without getting something in exchange.

"You want something…" Beast Boy muttered.

"I want everything," he replied, smirking. Beast Boy scoffed.

"What have you been doing here? I highly doubt that you have been sitting around the Tower doing nothing, and you mentioned that you think of yourself as the new Robin… You haven't become a hero, have you?" he teased, knowing that the answer was a no.

"Of course not, but then again I'm not a villain either. You see, I do what is best for me."

"Like stealing?"

"I'm not one-dimensional, Gar-" he cut off, "Beast Boy… Believe it or not, I actually do care about this city. It has been my home for so long. Sure, I may not be a hero, but I certainly don't want to watch my city burn," he declared.

"Burn?" Beast Boy asked.

"While all of you have been gallivanting around without any regard for anything but yourselves, Jump has been falling to hell," he explained. "Every villain that you fought against began to fight for power over the city's underground, which by the way, is out of control. It has been a war zone for the past two years, and you guys didn't even notice when you were here."

"So, what are you doing about it?" Beast Boy asked, doubtful that he was actually doing anything. Red X smirked, pushing the hair out of his face.

"More than you ever did…" he replied. Beast Boy didn't feel like pushing his luck by asking too much. This city was no longer his concern.

"Can I ask a question?" he asked, switching topics.

"Certainly," Red X smiled, his previously ominous mood perking up.

"Did you dye your hair to look like Robin's?" he asked. Red X laughed, he had expected a real question.

"How else would I be convincing?" he chuckled. "I don't have black hair, but Robin does. If I want anyone to believe that I am him, then I have to at least look like him."

"Wait, so you are imitating him?" Beast Boy accused. "I thought you were only using his costume."

"There is no room in this town for newbies." His striking resemblance to Robin really disturbed Beast Boy. If it hadn't been for his confident and boastful attitude, he might have actually believed that he could be Robin. Up close could you tell the difference in the contours of their faces, but from afar, they could be twins. Red X interrupted Beast Boy's train of thought. "How about some dinner? By the way, you are pitching in for food since you stole some of it."

Beast Boy snorted, "That's the pot talking." Red X smirked, standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"You know, I remember Clark. He was the douche who ordered the hunt for me," Red commented, nodding towards the files.

"I suppose no one really likes him then," Beast Boy remarked, following him into the kitchen.

"Why do you have info on him? Are you going after him?" Red X asked casually.

"No, he is still on us all. I was hoping he could lead us to Robin."

"Wait a second, you are still going after that maniac?!" Red X shouted, stopping what he was doing. "Are you crazy?"

"Don't call him a maniac," Beast Boy threatened.

"I'm sorry, but if you try to kill all of your friends and nearly destroy the city in the process, I will consider you a maniac. I mean, did you even get a good look at him? His face just screams crazy."

"Red, you are pushing it," Beast Boy warned.

He stopped, looking at Beast Boy and huffing. "Whatever… It's your funeral…" The two stopped talking about his team after that and moved on to small talk over dinner. Beast Boy mentioned his need to go to Tameran, figuring that since Red X already knew their identities, telling him a little more wouldn't matter. Plus, he might be able to bribe him into helping him with the ship. After dinner, Beast Boy gathered his files and retired to his bedroom to go back to sleep. Once Red X was certain that he was asleep, he slipped out of the Tower on Robin's bike, riding to the edges of the town.

…

A door slammed open and Red X walked in, confidence in his every step.

"Catch me up to speed," he demanded, plopping down into a large chair in the center of the room. Every man in the room turned towards him, preparing to report. The one closest to him stepped up and began to speak.

"Hennon would like to negotiate terms," he said.

"Fine, bring him in," Red waved. Another door opened and four men walked in, three of which were surrounding the one in the middle in a protective shield. "Ah! Hennon, it has been too long!" he exclaimed, feigning excitement.

"Not for me," the man grunted. Red's face fell and he sat back, his kindness falling off.

"Disrespect is not a good way to handle business," he stated. "Since you aren't one for formalities, I will get down to business. I want you out of my turf. If you aren't going to pay your share, I won't allow you to do business on my land." The man gritted his teeth. _The little brat._

"I have been paying my share, but you raised the tax to an obviously unfair amount. My men cannot take another pay cut," he argued. "Things are bad enough with the division amongst the zones, we don't need another bump in fees."

"Hrm, well, if I am to keep the peace between the zones I need manpower. And guess what, manpower costs," Red explained, speaking as if he were talking to a child. "But I am generous, so I will allow your current debt to be waived so long as you agree to make your payments in the future."

"Why is it that you always seem to favor the Eastern side? You know they won't get hit by this tax, it only affects us in the southwest. Are you trying to phase us out, because as I recall, you are still new here!" he shouted. Several of Red's men moved towards him and his own flared out in defense.

"Everyone just calm down! I'm sure we can work this out…" Red rested his chin on his hand, thinking. "I don't favor any division, I just favor my position. And as I may point out, I am not new here. Just because I didn't bother to intervene with the turf wars when I was a hero doesn't mean that I am new to the underground. Batman taught me well and I know how to handle competing divisions."

"You've got some nerve kid…" the man huffed. "I wonder what old Batman would think if he saw you now."

"Do you want to keep your area, or should I let the others know it is up for grabs?" Red taunted.

"I'll pay your taxes, but I swear, if anyone even comes near my business, I will destroy your entire system."

"I don't do well with threats, Hennon," Red stated. "Pay your taxes and I will keep the divisions separate. Don't pay your taxes and everything that you stand for will go up in flames until nothing but ash is left." Hennon took a step back. Red's face was completely stoic and his voice was intimidating, even for someone in the mafia. He glared at Red, taking a small bow.

"Yes, Robin." With that, he motioned for his men to follow and they all walked out. Red looked at his right hand man.

"I'm thinking it may be time for some change…" he said, his voice calm. The man nodded, walking out of the room with several of his comrades. The room was silent as he waited, looking bored. Soon, it was filled with the distant sound of guns firing. After thirty seconds, the firing ceased and the door opened again. Hennon was being dragged in by his collar, his shirt completely covered in blood. The man threw him on the floor.

"What're-"

"Here is what is going to happen. You are going to offer up some of your land to the South in exchange for part of the train route. I will see that the South agrees to the trade," he explained, staring at the shocked face of the man on the ground in front of him. "I expect to see you take the rails and use them to gain land from the North."

"That'll start a war!" he protested.

"Not if you do exactly as I instruct. Also, see to it that you do so with minimal damage to any civilian property. If I hear that one innocent is even injured in this endeavor, I will have your head. I give you permission to take action if anyone interferes, unless it is an officer. I consider officers to be innocents, so keep that in mind." The man gaped at him. What could this possibly accomplish?

"Do as I say and I can guarantee that there will be more peace than there ever was," Red promised.

"What you are proposing is taking the Froll territory. The only way this will end is with their pushback."

"Do as I say," Red repeated. "I will deal with the Froll's. They've been in control too long now, I think we need some new blood," he said, smiling deviously. "Now go." The man stood up, trying to retain any dignity that he had left, and walked out. "Ugh, sometimes I regret trying to whip this place into shape," Red sighed. He stood up, walking over to his man.

"Set up an appointment with the Froll's tomorrow," he whispered, regarding the other men with a smile as he walked out. The hallway was lined with three bodies, each covered in blood. He examined the bullet holes in the wall, his face full of distaste. "Set up the funerals for these men and spare no expense. It's on me," he commanded. He stepped over the bodies, the edges of his cloak becoming soaked with blood. "Such a waste…" he whispered, walking forward.

-One Week Later-

Beast Boy woke up early in the morning, yawning and rolling out of bed. He shuffled out of the room, not bothering to get dressed. He rummaged through the fridge, eating whatever he could find without really paying attention. Red walked out, looking extremely tired. He had bags under his eyes that could be spotted from miles away.

"What's up with you?" Beast Boy asked, sitting down at the bar stool.

"I didn't get any sleep," he replied in a yawn. He pulled juice out of the fridge and started searching through the bottom cabinets. "What do you think, Beast Boy? Rum or Vodka?" he asked over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Oh, nevermind. I'll go with Vodka, it is the morning after all. Rum would be inappropriate," Red mused.

"You are drinking in the morning and you are worried that rum is inappropriate?" Beast Boy chastised. "Won't that just make you more tired?" He had never had alcohol before, but he assumed that being disoriented would be tiring.

"I need it to focus, especially after this week," he groaned, pouring a shot in a glass and adding juice to it. He downed it in three gulps and sighed, contented. "There we go, now I'm ready to start the day." Beast Boy eyed him.

"Sometimes I feel like you may have matured, and then I see you do stuff like this," Beast Boy scoffed.

"Not everyone has to be like '_Life is so difficult and I am so serious because everything is so serious'_!" Red joked, making a deep voice for his illustration. "Robin and Raven were serious, but you were always the fun one. What happened to those days?" he asked, pouring another drink.

"Well, let's see. Robin was kidnapped and tried to kill me, Starfire was deported back to her home planet, Raven went missing and I have no idea how to contact her, Cyborg is dead according to the government, my home is being occupied by a bi-polar ex-con, and two cops are stalking us for no reason!" he mocked, letting out his frustration. Red stared at him, his eyes wide behind the mask.

"Bi-polar?" he asked.

"Oh my God, that is what you got from all of that?!" Red grinned and raised his shoulders.

"Come on, it's not that bad. Your ship is nearly running thanks to me. By the way, you owe me for that… And you are heading to Tameran to meet Starfire, which sounds pretty good to me." Beast Boy sighed. How on Earth can this person possibly be of any influence on Jump City?

"Where were you last night? I know you weren't in the Tower, I checked."

"Off taking care of business. Unlike you, I have a city to run," Red prided, taking his last drink and putting the bottle and juice away.

"Run? There is no way you run the city," Beast Boy snorted.

"Well, not run per se. Not yet, but one day, yes. I will run this city."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"Just look at what I have accomplished in six months!" he exclaimed. "Wait… you don't know… Well, if you did, you'd be impressed! I'd say that it will be mine to control within another six months." Beast Boy didn't like the sound of that.

"Why do you want to run the city?"

"It's my city, and I want to see it happy. I am sick of all the needless turf wars. All they lead to is death and destruction."

"Won't you be destroying the city when you run it?" Beast Boy corrected. "And I'm sure you've had to kill people to get as far as you have now." For once, Red X went silent, his face truly solemn.

"Everything I have done was for the best … I won't forget the sacrifices made for a better future," he whispered. Beast Boy had never heard him this serious.

"So, you have killed people?" he asked, shocked that it was true. He was simply trying to fluster Red.

"No, not personally. I'm not a murderer. I don't want to kill people, I want to stop all the violence," Red explained.

"By using violence?" Beast Boy quipped.

"I'm not like the real Robin," Red shouted. "I don't kill for fun or for money. I only do it when absolutely necessary and even so, with great hesitation. I do it in hoping that I can stop any further death from happening." Beast Boy huffed in amusement.

"Using murder to stop murder, that's rich. So, you think you are a hero now because of it?" he laughed.

"No, I know what I am. And I will pay for my actions one day…" Red stopped for a moment, looking at the ground. "Everything I do, I do for me. At least I don't lie to myself and say that it is for the greater good." Beast Boy had a feeling that that was a shot at him. They had been getting along over the past week, fixing up the ship, but whenever they would talk about Jump, things would get tense. Suddenly, Red perked up, changing the topic. "Let's finish your ship so you can go save the Tameranian princess," he exclaimed.

"This is what I meant by bi-polar," Beast Boy whispered under his breath. "And, please, don't call her that," he said, this time audibly.

"Fine, let's go help you save Koriand'r." Beast Boy sighed, he couldn't stay here much longer or else he would hurt Red.

The two spent the next several hours working on getting the ship up and running for the trip. Beast Boy was hoping that there would be some sort of memory system that he could use to get to Tameran from their previous trips. Unfortunately, they were having problems getting the mainframe up and running. Though the ship itself could fly, the instruments in the pilot's room were malfunctioning. Beast Boy found himself wishing Cyborg was there. If only he would have left Gotham when he wanted to…

The sun went down and Red had already eaten dinner. Beast Boy had insisted that he wasn't hungry, but really, he just wanted to get the ship done with. "Hey, you can go eat something, I'll take over," Red offered. Beast Boy shook his head, leaning back down into the large jumble of wires. "Whatever," Red scoffed, walking forward and leaning in next to him. He looked around, trying to find his way. "What the hell did you guys do last time you used this?! It's a clusterfuck." Beast Boy gave him a sideways glance, standing up.

"I'm sorry, why don't you just do it yourself then," Beast Boy offered, holding his hands out. Red laughed, standing up and admiring the mess.

"Don't you think if I could, I would…" he mumbled. "Perhaps I should get one of my guys to come and look at it," he proposed, talking to himself. He stopped mid-thought, leaning over and shoving his hand down into the panel. Beast Boy edged around him, trying to see what he was doing. "Well, looks like you better start puckering up, because I just found the problem," he exclaimed, pulling out a chewed up wire.

"Puckering up?"

"Yeah, to kiss my ass," he breathed, dropping the wire and turning to run out of the room.

"Where are you going?!" Beast Boy shouted, watching him exit. Giving up, he examined the wire. _Had this really been the problem the entire time? Something so small? _About a minute passed before Red came back in the room, panting and holding something high above his head.

"Thank you, Cyborg," he shouted, slowing down and walking over. Beast Boy watched as he switched out the broken wire for the new one. "It should be up and running. Go get in the pilot station and test it out." Without hesitation, Beast Boy ran inside, turning on the mainframe. Everything was working. He turned it off and ran back out, high fiving Red. "Who owns you now?" Red taunted.

"Definitely not you," Beast Boy joked. "But thanks, I probably wouldn't have figured that out without you."

"Well, yes, I am the master of all things technology," he lied, his voice sarcastic. He was honestly shocked himself. He was more of a weapons type of guy, not vehicles. "What do you say to a victory beer?" he asked, walking to the door in pride.

"I don't drink, remember?" Beast Boy commented, putting the panel back over the exposed wires.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot that you are a loser…" Red chided. A loud beeping sound came from his pocket and he pulled his phone out, answering it. "Yes?" Beast Boy could hear a faint voice talking on the other side, but he couldn't make out the words.

"Looks like I'm set to-" Beast Boy started, talking to himself.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Red shouted angrily. Beast Boy jumped, turning to look at him. "And after what I did for that son of a bitch!" His demeanor changed dramatically and he had a murderous look in his eye. "Hold on, you stay right there, I'm on my way," he stated, hanging up and running to the bike.

"What's wrong?" Beast Boy asked, following him.

"There's something I have to deal with, I'll be back," he said with gritted teeth. He pulled his helmet on and started the bike. "I swear to God," he growled, driving forward and nearly knocking Beast Boy over. Rage coursing through his veins, he raced down the streets towards the edges of town. This would set him back quite a bit, all because everyone had to be selfish. He stopped in front of the toy company, jumping off the bike and throwing his helmet on the ground. His soft footfalls could be heard over quiet murmuring. Everyone in the room stopped when he slammed the door open. They stood around a man, bruised and heavily beaten.

"You arrogant piece of shit," he shouted, stomping towards him. "I told you no violence."

"I wasn't going to let Hennon take over the rails. Someone needed to put him in his place and it certainly wasn't going to be you," the man spat.

"By killing him?! I had a plan, Avery!" Red countered. "And now, it has all went to shit because of you!"

"You think you run this place just because a few of us pay up to you?" he remarked. "No, we run this place. We pay you to keep you happy and thinking that you are in charge."

"This is my city and I will bring peace to it!" Red yelled.

"No, you will bring war to it. We're all criminals here. One day, you will realize that you are no different than us." Red looked at one of his men who promptly hit the man with his gun.

"I will run this city," Red declared, "And it will be better than it has ever been."

"Heh, I can't wait to see the look in your eyes when you burn this city to ashes." Red narrowed his eyes. He nodded at his man who promptly pulled out his gun.

"If there is one thing you should know about me, it is that I hate wasted life," Red growled. The man cocked his gun, about to fire when Red held up his hand to stop him. "No, not here." Nodding, the man dragged him into the next room. Red sat down as the gunshot rang through the room.

"Such a fucking waste," he whispered, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes.

…

Beast Boy turned off the ship, his previous tiredness disappearing within the excitement. Despite the circumstances of the visit, he was absolutely thrilled at the thought of seeing Starfire again. He had taken off as soon as Red left, not wanting to wait around for Red to finally tell him what he wanted in return for helping him fix up the ship. It had been a few days trip and he hadn't gotten much sleep since he was the only pilot. However, he did doze off into naps every once in a while.

Jumping out of the seat, he grabbed his backpack and walked off the ship, locking the door behind him. Even though nobody here would steal it, he just felt better with it locked. It had been so long since they had all visited that he forgot what the planet was like. He especially didn't recall it being so dry and arid. The land around him looked like a desert with purple tinted rock. Very little foliage lined the rolling hills, reminding him of the desert in Eastern California. He walked forward, taking a deep breath and feeling how thin the air was. He distinctly remembered trying to figure out the odd air the last time he was here. There was certainly enough to live on, but it always made his lungs tighten up.

He approached the gates to the capitol, looking at the castle in the distance. He had no idea where she would be, but his best bet would be there. The gates opened and he walked through, immediately getting strange looks from everyone on the street. It amused him that seeing green shocked them so much; back on Earth, everyone would stare at their orange skin just as much. However, the last green people that he recalled being here had attacked their planet, so they probably weren't fond of the color in general.

He strolled through the streets, walking at a moderate pace and looking around at the market. There were a lot of things on sale that he couldn't identify, in fact, it would be a feat if he could identify _anything._ There was one vendor in particular that sold plants that he stopped to look at. Before he could even get close, a large leafy plant snapped at him, nearly biting him. After that, he no longer wanted to look at any of the shops. Continuing at a faster pace, he went forward, trying to find his way through the maze of streets. As he walked, more people began to stare, making him feel more uncomfortable than he did on Earth. They didn't look at him like this before, but then again he was with Starfire last time. Now, he was just some random intruder on their planet.

He picked up the pace, becoming worried by the increasingly hostile looks he was receiving. A large hill approached which appeared to lead towards the tower. People began to clear the way for him as he climbed it, leaving the entire road open. A group of large men started descending down the hill, taking the cleared path. Beast Boy stopped, looking around at the people along the side of the road. Everyone was watching as the men approached him, whispering in their Tameranian language. He turned to face the men, hoping that they would pass him. Much to his dismay, two of the men grabbed him by the armpits, lifting him in the air and turning around to walk back up the hill.

"Let me go! You've made a mistake, I'm here to see Starfire! I'm a friend!" he shouted, kicking his legs. He considered transforming into a snake or a fly, but he didn't want to give them an actual reason to imprison him. So, he just let them carry him towards the castle, trying to tell them who he wanted. The only responses he received were in Tameranian, garbled by the tone of their deep voices.

People cleared the streets everywhere they went, letting the men pass and regarding his small form in comparison to his large captors. He was beginning to feel nauseous as he realized that no one spoke English.

"Please! I want to speak to Starfire! Starfire!" he repeated. His arms were beginning to hurt from carrying his body weight. He looked up at the two men, each of whom were laughing as they spoke to each other. "Star- Koriand'r! I want to speak to Koriand'r!" he shouted, recalling her Tameranian name. The two stopped speaking and looked down at him. They said something, the only word of which he caught was Koriand'r. He nodded eagerly, "Yes! Koriand'r! I want to see Koriand'r!" The men gave each other a look, mumbling something and lifting him up higher, continuing forward at a faster pace.

* * *

Some interesting things happening with Cyborg, no?... Thanks for reading, as usual!

I apologize if the writing isn't as smooth, but I only edited twice. I am far too lazy to go over this chapter again and just want it out of the way...

**Notice: **

I have updated my author profile to include the summary of my next story. Please give it a read and tell me what you think (preferably via PM since it isn't related to this story). I would like to hear what people think about it before I actually start writing chapters. Thank you!


	28. A Team United

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Another wonderful chapter for my wonderful readers!

* * *

-Tameran-

Beast Boy was led through the palace doors where he was greeted by what appeared to be royal security. The men released him, allowing him to fall to the floor, and began talking to the guards. Beast Boy rolled his shoulders, trying to alleviate the pain while watching them speak. With a few nods and a grunt, his captors left and he stood up, looking around.

"Can I see Koriand'r?" The guards looked down at him, knowing the name, but not understanding what he was asking. After a few seconds, they pulled out a large pair of steel cuffs, obviously made for other Tameranians, and locked them around his wrists. They promptly fell off when he shouted in protest and all of them, including Beast Boy paused. Changing tactics, they grabbed his arms, pulling him forward and forcing him to walk. He was hoping that they were taking him to Starfire, but he knew better.

He approached a spiral staircase and they pushed him forward, forcing him down. He descended, feeling their looming presence behind him. As they went on, the room became darker and darker and he began to wonder if the stairs ever stopped. Every once in a while they would pass a landing with a door, but the guards would just push him on. After a while, he stopped slowing whenever they got near a door. Once it had hit its darkest point, lamps began appearing. It was really beginning to feel like a castle to him as fire danced across the walls.

Finally, they hit the bottom, the staircase leading off into a long hallway lit with more lanterns. The men stood beside him and led him forward while the ground itself descending downhill. The walls remained empty for a while until barred doors began to pass. Beast Boy's stomach dropped as his suspicions proved true. The men stopped, pulling him back abruptly, and opened a cell. He looked up at them before being shoved forward. The door closed behind him with a large _clang, _and he whimpered. Was this his new yearly tradition?

The men began to walk away and he shouted after them, repeating Starfire's Tameranian name over and over. Soon, silence filled the room and he walked to the corner of his cell, sliding to the floor and wrapping his arms around himself.

-Paris-

Slade walked into the room, scowling at the mess. "Robin, just because you are busy doesn't mean you can be a slob." Robin looked up at him, sitting at the end of the long table. Slade could barely see the wood of the table under the mess that adorned it.

"The French mafia has always been known to give peace offerings to neighboring competitors, especially newcomers, if they agreed to not encroach on their territory," Robin mused, ignoring Slade's complaint.

"Yes, I know this Robin," Slade sighed. Was this what he had been spending all of his time doing?

"They have also been known to make mergers with others from far distances so as to spread their business… Both parties are allowed to send some of their men to do small business dealings in the other's territory under pre-arranged circumstances." Slade took a seat, knowing where Robin was going to go with this. Robin looked up at him, his face stoic. "We own Berlin," he stated.

"That's an interesting tactic, but there are many potential problems with it. If we form a merger with them and betray them, it would start a war which would quickly threaten our position in Berlin. We don't need to lose an entire city." Robin nodded, having already thought of that.

"That's why we don't betray them," he proposed. Slade smirked, feeling that Robin had already come up with a plan. "We send 'our men' into their territory, allowing theirs into ours. From there, we discreetly begin to take over their primary forms of business, of course, without their knowledge. We allow them to think that everything is normal by running everything the same as they would, then we dispose of them before anyone can figure out what is happening. When their men come back from Berlin, we end them before they realize we aren't their bosses. Then, we run the city as normal and move on," Robin finished. Sure, there were more problems that they had to account for, but this was the cleanest way to do it. Blatantly taking over business did not fare well, as demonstrated in New York. Their best jobs were always the ones where they went about it discreetly. However, this would be their first time merging with another mafia.

"I'll think about it," Slade offered. The plan was at least worth considering. He certainly wanted it to be quick and simple, something that they would have no trouble with. Assuming that the French mafia would even merge with Berlin, there was still the chance that they wouldn't allow them to do business for years. He wanted to be out of this city within two months. With Robin back, he wanted to begin his bigger plans, which would take many years to come to fruition.

Robin regarded Slade, watching him think. He was rolling a metal ball in his hands, feeling the small bumps and grooves on the surface.

"What is that?" Slade asked, looking at the object in his hands.

"I found the weapon design in a box and decided to make it," Robin commented, holding it up. "Thought the idea was interesting. It could make missions a lot easier." Slade pulled the blueprints over from the table, chuckling when he saw what it was.

"I was never going to make that, it was just a passing thought," he laughed. Robin had never gotten used to Slade's laugh, it just didn't sit right with him. "But since you already made it, I suppose we could give it a shot…" He smirked at the thought of Robin making weapons on his own.

-Tameran-

Beast Boy had been in his cell for a while now, only being able to keep track of the days by the meals they brought him. He could never tell what meal it was and he was reluctant to eat the majority of it. However, hunger always trumped the distasteful look of the food. A few times, he considered transforming into a rodent and searching through the castle for Starfire, but he knew that if they found his cell empty he would be in trouble. Throughout the days, several prisoners had been brought out of their cells, one by one. Most returned within the hour, but a few never came back. He wondered if they were being taken to a hearing for their crimes. Those that were found guilty were most likely the ones that returned. He had noticed a large discrepancy between the number of Tameranian prisoners and otherworldly prisoners, with the latter being much larger. He had always assumed that Tameran was a pretty peaceful planet, but even in peace, there is still law.

Beast Boy sighed, pacing around his cell. This was truly a low prison cell. He had no bed, no blankets, and nothing to sit on. The only thing that adorned his room was a really odd looking toilet that he assumed was made to accommodate all species. He still hadn't quite figured it out. The only light there was came from the lanterns in the hallway and even then, the cells were pitch black towards the back. It was certainly a rapid change from Wayne manor to this. He found himself missing the large cushiony bed and warm sheets. However, he remained patient, waiting until it was his turn to be brought out for a hearing. Hopefully there would be an English speaker there that he could explain himself to.

The sounds of footsteps approaching made Beast Boy's ears perk up. He stood up, wiping his hands on his pants and walking to the bars. A tall, lean man stopped in front of his cell. Beast Boy looked at him, waiting for him to say something. The man motioned for him to come forward with his finger and he took a few steps, his face nearly pressing against the bars. The man motioned for him to lean forward and Beast Boy eyed him suspiciously, but leaned in nonetheless. Before he could process what was happening, the man leaned in and smashed his lips against his. With a shout, Beast Boy pushed him back, wiping his mouth in disgust.

"What the hell, man?!" he yelled, stumbling backward.

"I will take you before the queen to be judged," he stated, his English harsh. Beast Boy's eyes widened in understanding. He recalled Starfire telling them that they learned languages through lip contact. Nevertheless, he was still disgusted. He nodded reluctantly and stepped back, allowing him to open the gate. Pausing for a second, Beast Boy stepped forward. The man held his arm out, indicating for Beast Boy to walk in front of him. Several faces looked out at him from their cells, longing to be the ones leaving. Ignoring the looks, Beast Boy walked forward, beginning the climb back to the castle. The way down had taken a long time, but the way up took an eternity. Despite being in moderately good shape, Beast Boy found himself becoming winded a quarter of the way there. The man behind him appeared to have no problem with the climb, so Beast Boy plowed on, not slowing. Once they had reached the top, Beast Boy stopped, gulping in as much air as possible. After a few moments, the man pushed him forward.

"Go," he commanded, his voice guttural. Beast Boy dragged forward, his legs tired. The light assaulted his eyes, being too bright in comparison to the dungeon. Beast Boy winced, looking around at the décor while he adjusted. It was a beautifully furnished room, despite the foreign style. The room smelled of some type of flower and he welcomed it. He wouldn't have minded staying up here.

They climbed another set of stairs, this time much shorter. A set of large stone doors greeted him and he tried to push them open, failing miserably. The man edged around him, opening them with one hand and pulling him through. He remembered this room. This was where Starfire almost got married. Several dozen Tameranians lined the walls, each watching him as he passed through the middle of the room. A lone chair sat in the front, facing the throne.

Sitting on the throne, adorned in a large silver crown, was Starfire. Beast Boy's eyes widened and his face broke out into a smile, but before he could shout out her name, a voice boomed through the room. It spoke a short sentence in Tameranian and everyone turned to the throne, placing their arm across their torso and giving a short bow. The man next to Beast Boy whispered in his ear.

"Bow to the queen," he commanded. Beast Boy looked back at Starfire, following suit and bowing. Everyone sat down and Beast Boy was placed in the chair, a chain being wrapped around his arms. He smiled at Starfire, but received no response in return. With a confused look on his face, he sat back. "What is your name?" the man asked in a whisper.

"Beast Boy," he responded, saying it to the queen. The man began speaking to her in Tameranian, using his name somewhere in the sentence. He continued speaking for a while and Beast Boy tried to gain her attention, be she kept her eyes on the man. She asked a question in return when he finally stopped.

"What is your purpose here?" he asked Beast Boy, leaning in once again.

"I wanted to talk to Star- Koriand'r. She's an old friend and… I wanted to see her…" he answered. The man repeated what he said in Tameranian, bowing after he was done and walking out of the room. Starfire looked down at him, her face indifferent as several people spoke to her. He furrowed his brows, not understanding why she was acting like this. "Star?" he began, getting several angry looks from the people around him.

Starfire stood up, looking out at the people. The tails of her dress billowed around her, settling back into two separated panels, one in the front and one in the back. Her legs, adorned with purple pants were seen through the sides. Two cutouts showed each side of her midsection, leaving an hourglass shaped slit of fabric covering her stomach and a large metal breast plate covered her chest. She spoke in Tameranian, addressing everyone in the crowd with a commanding tone.

Beast Boy looked around, wishing that he could understand what she was saying. She looked down at him, saying one final sentence before becoming silent. Two more men came forward, unlocking him. She watched with a blank expression, holding her hands together in front of her. Beast Boy gave her a desperate, confused look, begging her to say something to him that he could understand. With one final word, the guards grabbed his arms, pulling him backwards towards the doors.

"Wait! No, Star! Please, Star, it's me! It's Beast Boy!" he shouted, trying to resist the guards. Her expression remained the same, watching him being pulled away. "Star! Come on, please!" He grabbed onto the frame of one of the doors, desperately trying to appeal to her. The men grunted something in Tameranian, pulling him off the frame with little effort and shutting the doors. The last thing that he saw before the doors slammed shut was her form standing in front of the throne, her face rigid in the same expression.

-Boston-

"This is your one chance, Victor. Do not disappoint me." He nodded at the woman, stepping back and turning around. He walked into the adjoining room, joining several others dressed in SWAT looking clothing. He pulled on a vest and some leg armor, along with an ammo belt. Two guns were strapped around his hips and several knives were sheathed around his body.

"Eh, don't look so serious," a man said, strapping a gun to his leg. Victor looked at him, smiling and pulling a small backpack on. "And don't smile either, at least not in front of her…" he commented. "My name's Bodil, but you can call me Bode." He held out his hand and Cyborg shook it.

"Victor," he replied. "Unusual name you got there…" he commented.

"Norwegian," Bode replied gruffly. "Mind if I call you Vic?"

"No, not at all." Bode nodded and stepped away, grabbing some ammunition.

"Don't worry, Vic. You'll be fine, just don't fuck up." The other two laughed, walking up to Victor and holding their hands out.

"Finn," a shorter man with ashy blonde hair introduced. Victor shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you," he responded. He turned to face the third person.

"Kate," she introduced, a faint hint of an accent in her voice. Apparently Victor had made a face because Bode laughed.

"Yeah, we got a _girl_ on our team," he said, walking up to the two.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything… It's nice to meet you," he corrected. Kate smirked, pointing at Bode lazily.

"Don't mind him, he just hates women," she commented, her voice impassive. Victor couldn't quite tell if she was joking or not as she walked away.

"Just ignore her, you'll live longer," Bode whispered. He slapped Victor on the back and picked up his backpack. The door swung open and everyone turned.

"Are you having a tea party in here? Get ready and get in the van!" the woman commanded. Everyone walked forward, grabbing the last of their supplies and moving out. They loaded in the car and she shut it behind them, slapping the door. There were no windows in the back, so they sat in the dark, facing each other while on the floor.

"So, your first job," Finn said, addressing Victor. "Most don't make it past here."

"I'm not most," Victor replied, causing Bode to snort.

"That is what everyone thinks," Kate commented, wiping her gun with a cloth. The car hit a bump and everyone flew a few inches in the air, slamming back down.

"Well, I hope you don't die," Bode said earnestly.

"How long have you all been doing this?" Victor asked.

"Let's see if you last, then we will talk," Kate answered. Victor remained silent after that, looking at the ground and waiting for them to arrive. Several minutes passed before the van came to a slow stop. Bode stood up, opening a small hole in the side of the car and looking out. After a few moments, he motioned for them to get up. Finn opened the door and the four sleuthed out and into the street. The van immediately drove off, turning the corner and out of sight. Bode took several steps forward, leading them around a building.

They edged around the structure in silence, Kate and Bode holding their guns out. Victor stopped, looking up at a second floor window and pointing it out to everyone. Finn shook his head, motioning towards the back of the building. Victor moved forward, following Bode and Kate, but Finn stayed back. Giving him one last questioning look, Victor continued on. Finn turned around, walking back to the front. They all stopped at the backdoor and Kate turned to them.

"Bode, you open the door. Victor, you go to the right and clear the room," she delegated in a whisper. Everyone nodded in agreement and Bode peeked through a crack in the door. He put his foot on the door handle and knocked it off with one kick. With a grimace, he opened the door, making sure it didn't slam. As ordered, Victor glided in to the right, pulling out his gun and looking around the room. Kate took the left and Bode followed in, closing the door behind them and clearing the front. They re-grouped and Bode nodded towards the stairs. Kate jerked her head to the side and stood at the foot of the stairs.

Victor and Bode started ascending the stairs, each pointing their gun in a different direction. The landing was a narrow hallway leading both ways. Looking around, Victor pointed to the right and then to himself. Bode nodded and went to the left, walking slowly and steadily down the hallway. Victor approached his first door, glancing down the hallway to see Bode going through his first door. With a deep breath, he opened the door, swinging through and looking at all the corners. _Nothing. _

He left the room, walking to the next door and opening it. The next few rooms were the same, each empty and disgustingly filthy. There were only a few left to check, which was concerning Victor. They could not leave in complete failure. Bode soon met up with him, having finished his own side with ease. The two took the last door, sighing in disappointment when it was empty.

"Do we call the van back and try another day?" Victor asked, still whispering.

"No, something is off. They have to be here," Bode replied. "Let's go downstairs and search for any hidden rooms." They left the room, approaching the stairs when the sound of guns firing filled the hall. Without so much as a glance at Victor, Bode took off, running down the stairs at full speed. Victor soon ran after him, lowering his gun. Kate was no longer at the bottom of the stairwell and the sound was coming from somewhere below. The two followed the sound until they reached an open cabinet with several brooms and a mop lying around it. Bode stepped inside, ducking to avoid hitting the top. After a second of thought, he kicked his foot through the back of it, crawling through the hole.

To Victor's surprise, there were stairs leading down. The firing was amplified, telling him that they were going the right way. They ran down and Bode immediately dropped to the ground, pulling Victor with him. Several bullets hit the wall next to them and they began to crawl forward. Bode gripped his gun in his hand, launching himself behind a table. Victor joined him, looking around at the surroundings. There were several barrels with chemical labels on them and dozens of boxes. A shelf held shattered glass from what Victor assumed to be Chemistry equipment. He immediately recognized this as a meth lab.

Bode peeked around the corner of the table, finally spotting movement. Kate was held up behind a large crate, firing across the room at a group of men. Victor crawled forward, taking new shelter behind a metal tank. He motioned to Bode, receiving a rough shake of the head in return. Bode cocked his gun, lifting his arms above the table, and opened fire on the men across the room.

Finally taking notice of the two newcomers, they began to fire in their direction. Kate glanced over, motioning something to Bode that Victor couldn't understand. With a nod, he crawled back and began searching for something along the floor. Victor, not wanting to do nothing, stood up and started firing at the onslaught. It was difficult to see with all the light coming from the opposing guns, but he used his robotic eye to filter through. He managed to land a bullet in the shoulder of one, effectively taking him down. In the meantime, Bode crawled back, shaking his head towards Kate. With a grunt, she stood up, shooting two of the men.

Bode ran across the room, landing where Kate was, and joined her. It wasn't long before there were only two opponents left and Victor began crawling around the edges of the room, trying to get near them. One of the men had taken notice of him and began to fire at him. Seeing nothing to hide behind, Victor ran at him, praying that he wouldn't land a bullet. The man backed up a few steps and Victor felt a sting in his left leg, but he continued forward, tackling the man and grabbing his gun. He promptly knocked the man out with his own gun and jumped up to face the last one.

The man turned around to shoot him, but stopped, blood flying out of his head. He fell to the floor next to Victor and Kate lowered her gun. Bode ran over, counting how many were still alive. Victor looked over to Kate, his eye slightly wide. She walked over casually, changing cartridges.

"None of them is Hector," Bode commented, looking to Kate. She scoffed, kicking a body out of the way. Without hesitation, she shot the remaining survivors, giving each a mercy kill. Victor stepped back, hissing when his leg throbbed in response. Bode looked over to him.

"Looks like you got hit," he pointed out, observing the blood on his leg.

"You suck," Kate said with a smirk.

"You think you can keep going?" Bode asked. Victor nodded, walking forward with a slight limp. It definitely wasn't in the bone. He glanced back at the bodies with a sick look on his face and continued forward, Kate and Bode on his tail. The three came back through the hole in the wall and walked to the front of the building, opening the front door. Finn walked in, shutting the door behind them.

"What the hell, man?" Finn asked, looking at Victor's leg. It appeared that getting injured was offensive in this group. Brushing it off, Finn looked to Bode. "I don't know what you guys were doing, but Hector wasn't down there."

"How do you know that?" Kate asked.

"Because he tried to sneak out while you were all playing musical bullets," he replied.

"I swear to God, if you didn't-" Bode began.

"I got him, don't worry," Finn shot back. "He's knocked out and tied up in the van." Bode slapped Finn on the back in appreciation. "What happened with you guys?"

"Bunch of meth cooks decided to go to work today," Kate replied, wrapping her gun around her body and pulling out a smaller hand gun. "Let's get out of here." Finn took a step back, opening the door and letting the three out.

"Did you call for cleanup?" Bode asked, crossing the street to the van.

"No, I was waiting for you guys," Finn replied, pulling out a cheap flip phone and dialing. Victor opened the doors and Kate got in the van. Finn began talking on the phone, speaking only a few words before hanging up and breaking the phone in half. He threw it on the ground and crushed it with his foot before hopping into the van.

-Tameran-

Beast Boy stood in front of the mirror, trying to adjust the purple shirt so that it looked good. With a sigh, he gave up, realizing that it would never look good on him. He was not a fan of Tameranian clothes, at least on himself. They looked good on Tameranians, but that was because they all looked like Greek gods. He just looked like a skinny green bean wearing a purple muscle shirt and knee length pants that reached his ankles. Grabbing a brush, he combed his hair, trying to get all the knots out from the past week. He turned around, admiring the room.

After the hearing, he had been dragged to a large guest room upstairs where they promptly stripped him and threw him in the shower. It had taken him nearly a half hour to figure out how to turn it off and when he did, there was a set of clothes laid out for him in the bathroom. Despite Starfire's cold welcome, he couldn't help but enjoy the luxuries of this room. The day may not have gone as planned, but at least he wouldn't be returning to the dungeon. He sighed, wondering what he was supposed to do. His door was locked and there was nothing left to do but wait for someone to come and greet him. Perhaps he was supposed to go to bed.

Light streamed in from the large windows and he walked out into the balcony, looking out at the land. It looked rather beautiful from here, despite how arid it was. To him, the rolling hills were rather charming.

A knock on the door interrupted his train of thought and he walked back into the room. Without his permission, the door opened and a man stood in the frame. Beast Boy walked over to him, waiting to see what he wanted. He stood there with an expectant look on his face when the man leaned in. With a shout, he quickly shuffled back.

"Hell no!" he yelled, pushing the man away. This was not going to happen again, no matter the reason. The man gave him a confused and agitated look, but nonetheless stood up again. He indicated for Beast Boy to walk forward and he obliged, thankful that he didn't have to kiss anyone else today. The two walked back down to the main floor of the castle, heading towards the east wing where they were met with a large oblong room. Several tables filled the middle of the room, seating nearly fifty each. Food overflowed on each table and people were beginning to sit down. Beast Boy was about to grab a chair when his escort pulled him back, taking him further into the room.

Sitting on the end of the middle table was Starfire, chatting merrily with the woman next to her. The man pulled out the chair on her left side and held out his hand, letting Beast Boy sit. With a bewildered look on his face, he obeyed, sitting next to her and waiting for her to finish talking to the woman. Everyone at the table regarded him, speaking in their native tongue and making him uncomfortable. Suddenly, Starfire stood up, clapping her hands and silencing the room. She began to speak loudly and everyone smiled as they listened, but Beast Boy couldn't understand a word of it. Somewhere in the speech she pointed to him and towards the end, the crowd erupted into a loud cheer. She turned to Beast Boy, finally looking at him, and began to speak in English.

"Dear friend Beast Boy! We are here to celebrate your visit to our home planet Tameran!" she exclaimed, receiving another cheer from the crowd despite their inability to interpret her words. After the cheers, she clapped her hands again and sat down, commencing the dinner. Everyone began to rip into the food ravenously before Beast Boy could even say a word to her. She grabbed some food, placing it on Beast Boy's plate with a smile.

"Star?" he began, his tone confused. She ripped into a large rectangular food particle that he couldn't identify.

"Yes, friend Beast Boy?" she asked, still chewing.

"Why wouldn't you talk to me earlier?" he asked, trying to be serious for a moment.

"We will do the talking about the reasons later," she exclaimed. "For now, let us enjoy the feast!" Relieved that Starfire was still his friend, he gave up on getting any answers for the time being and began to poke at his food, trying to find something that wasn't moving.

-Boston-

Bode walked into the room, looking at his three partners with a half-smile. Kate and Finn were sitting on a couch next to each other and Victor was sitting in a lounge chair across from them. Kate was clipping her nails and Finn was reading a book, whereas Victor was just sitting there, looking exhausted.

"Oh come on man, don't tell me that tired you out already?!" Bode teased, plopping into the adjoining chair.

"I still can't believe you got shot," Finn commented, not looking up from his book.

"Shut up," Victor shot back jokingly. He had spent an hour in the infirmary when they got back, getting stitched up, while the others delivered Hector. It bothered him that he couldn't see him handed over since he was such a prominent figure in the gang violence lately. He just hoped that he would serve a lifetime in prison. "I was trying to help."

"That's what will get you killed," Kate said, looking up from her nails.

"Yes, moral of the story, always leave Kate behind," Bode replied. Victor tried to suppress a smile, but it came out as a smirk. Perhaps that was why Bode always seemed to be smirking.

"Fuck off," she muttered, dropping her clippers on the table. With a sigh, Finn put a marker in his book, standing up and walking to the kitchen that was separated by a short pony wall. Kate watched him walk away, glancing over at his book when he opened the fridge. She scoffed, standing up and straightening out her jacket. Finn was soon joined in the kitchen and the two started cooking dinner.

"So, what did you think of your first day? Think you'll stay if she lets you?" Bode asked, glancing at the two in the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's dangerous, but it's worth doing," Victor replied.

"You might come to view that differently one day." Bode stood up, addressing Kate in the kitchen. "Hey, can you bring some beers out?"

"You know if she catches us drinking, we will all be placed on cleanup!" Kate yelled back, stirring the contents in the pot.

"Oh come on, its Victor's first successful mission," he pleaded, kicking Victor in the leg and receiving a hiss in return. "Sorry, I forgot," he whispered. Finn walked over, taking over the pot, and Kate grabbed some beer out of the fridge.

"If she catches us, I am not above shaving your beloved hair in your sleep," she threatened, tossing one to Bode who feigned fear. Victor held his hand out, but she walked up to him, handing it over. "Congrats, looks like you might actually make it," she said, a genuine tone to her voice. Victor nodded, thanking her.

"That's as close to a compliment as you'll get from her," Bode pointed out, taking a swig. Finn walked over with the pot and several bowls, handing them all out and placing the pot on the coffee table. "Wow, gourmet as shit," Bode exclaimed. Kate sighed and scooped out some of the mac and cheese, dropping it in her bowl. Bode took his share and Victor made sure to leave enough for Finn. They started eating and Finn picked up his book, continuing to read.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Victor asked, noticing that Finn didn't even bring a bowl for himself.

"No, I'm not hungry," he replied, completely focused on his book. The other two sniggered and Victor looked at them, confused.

"No, no, it's nothing," Bode choked, seeing Victor's sideways glance. Giving up, Victor dug into his food, reflecting on the day. "Well, if no one else is going to eat this, I'll take it," Bode announced, grabbing Finn's portion from the pot.

-Paris-

"Robin," Slade addressed, looking up from the table. Robin grunted in return, focusing on the hundreds of tiny pieces of metal on the table. "What would you think of going on a mission?" With that, Robin looked up, stopping what he was doing.

"When?" he asked, eager to get the hell out of the base.

"Right now," Slade replied. Robin put the bottle down, screwing the cap on it and leaning forward.

"What is it?"

"I need this," Slade replied, handing over a blueprint. Robin's face fell as he looked at it.

"I thought you meant a real mission," he accused, reading the specs.

"Be glad I am even letting you go out," Slade growled, looking back down at his plans. "Are you already going to break your vow?"

"No," Robin grunted, standing up and walking to the equipment room. He suited up and grabbed his Bo staff, not bothering to bring any guns.

"Be back within the hour," Slade commanded, receiving a nod in response. Robin walked out, his expression bored. He would have rather been working on his weapon, at least then his time would be spent valuably. The door opened and he walked across the dark room, the floor creaking below him. He ascended the broken stairs and walked into the front room, climbing between the boards of the window. The cool night air hit his face as he ran across the tile of the roof.

Across the street, a man dialed the phone.

"It's them," he said, receiving silence in return.

"_Are you sure?"_

"I'm certain," he replied, eyeing the window in the small curios shop.

"_I'll talk to Maeve. I'll call you back when I get on the plane." _

-New York-

"_Hurry, they are on the move again." _

"I'll be there within the week," he replied, hanging up the phone with excitement. He placed it on the desk, looking up at the board and smiling. "I've finally got you," he whispered, standing up and walking out of the room. As he walked down the hallway, a little boy ran up and tackled him into a hug. He lifted him up, carrying him into the living room.

"I was wondering if you were going to be joining us this evening," the woman said. He put his son down, ruffling his hair and handing him a toy from the ground.

"Maeve, I have good news," he announced with a smile.

"What?" she asked, her voice embittered.

"I might be able to get my job back," he replied. She eyed him skeptically, not wanting to let herself get excited again. There was no way she would open herself up to that pain again.

"How?" she asked suspiciously.

"Vince needs my help and if I go, they might consider taking me back," he answered vaguely, bending the truth.

"Would they even let you help Vince since you aren't a cop anymore?"

"He's undercover, so he can bend the rules a bit." He walked up to her, grabbing her hands. "Honey, this is a chance to get our life back," he soothed, furrowing his brows when she pulled away.

"You had a chance, but you blew it obsessing over that case," she stated, picking up some toys and throwing them in a box. Clark looked over to his daughter with a sad look.

"I will make it up to you, I promise. Things will be better than they ever were," he promised, walking over and picking his son up. "Once I get my job back, we will have the money for-"

"Money," she scoffed. "That's all you care about… Let me tell you something, Clark. Money can't fix everything; something you should have learned a long time ago." She picked her daughter up and caressed her face.

"It's not just the money… I want to make whoever did this pay," he growled, his voice low so that his son wouldn't hear.

"Revenge won't change what happened, Clark," she sighed, her voice sad. She pulled her daughter up further and smiled at her. "Come on, let's get you to bed," she whispered. Clark clenched his hands in anger, looking down to his boy.

"Luke, how would you like some ice cream?" he offered, trying to sound excited. Luke nodded and ran to the kitchen with Clark on his tail. He scooped ice cream into a bowl, handing it over to his son with a sad smile. "Everything will be okay…" His son gave him a confused look, not understanding what he meant.

* * *

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	29. A Team Divided

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

Be warned, there is a bit of time jumping in this chapter, but I did my best to make it understandable. If a new scene does not have a time stamp added to the location, that means it is at the same time as the previous scene.

Enjoy!

* * *

Robin could feel the cold floor on his bare skin and he shivered slightly at the contrast of the heat radiating from the person behind him. He looked around the room as his vision adjusted, trying to see through the darkness. The foul smell of human excrement was the only thing that he could focus on besides the sounds of soft moans and whimpers. The person in front of him was shaking so badly that he could feel it through his own cuffs.

The kid had to be no older than fifteen, not that Robin could see his face, but he looked young from behind. From the looks of jutting ribcage, Robin assumed he hadn't been fed in the past few weeks. He tugged on his chains, moving the boy slightly and trying to get his attention.

"Hey, you shouldn't do that," a voice whispered behind him. He turned around and was met by an older, dirty face. This one had to be in his late teens, if not his early twenties.

"What?"

"I know you're new here and probably scared, but I would leave the others alone, especially him," he replied, nodding towards the boy.

"Where am I?" Robin asked, trying to turn his body to face him. His cuffs were connected to the people in front and behind him, leaving him unable to turn. From what he could see, this chain went on for a while.

"It's best if you don't ask that," the boy replied, his voice sullen. He sounded defeated.

"What is this?"

"It's even better if you don't ask that." Robin eyed him, craning his neck around. The boy gave him a half forced smile that looked more sad than anything. "Just know that if someone comes in here, you keep your eyes to yourself and try your best to blend in." Robin turned back around, looking down at his lap. Everyone was wearing the same basic overly large t-shirt and nothing else. He had no idea what had been done with his clothes.

He looked around at the others, noting an obvious pattern. "Why are there only boys?" Robin asked, looking around at the lines of people and observing the vast range of ages.

"…Girls aren't wanted…" he replied in a whisper. Across the room, lying on his side in an awkward position while hugging himself, was a boy no older than ten. He appeared to be the youngest, with Robin and the boy behind him being the oldest that he could see.

"I'm Rob," Robin introduced in a whisper, receiving a scoff in return.

"No one has names here," he murmured. With a huff, Robin resigned to sitting on the stone ground, occasionally shaking his wrists and nodding off. He tried to adjust himself so that his skin wouldn't touch the floor, but his shirt and position never allowed him to do so. Eventually, he gave up on the idea and let the numbness set in on the lower half of his body. Sitting in one position for days on end didn't help much with circulation either.

A slot in the steel door was used to slide food into the room and there was only ever enough for about a third of them to eat, so it was normally a fight for nutrition. Those the furthest from the door often found themselves going without. Robin could tell that this was a way not only to weed out the weaklings, but make everyone weaker in general. That way, they were more complacent.

Over the next week, several boys were taken out and a few returned, but none of them looked happy to be doing so. In fact, they always looked infinitely worse when they came back. He found himself able to identify those who had been taken in the past just by their demeanor. Most appeared to be completely broken and often slept on their sides, clutching themselves and crying. He didn't want to know what happened to those who didn't return.

He found himself becoming more and more tired as the days went on, especially since he rarely ate. Despite his position near the door, he never fought for food and would only occasionally take something. The boy behind him tried to share some bread once, but Robin denied it. He could also tell that the water was drugged. The more he drank, the more exhausted he became and the less he wanted to continue on. He could feel his muscles losing their strength.

As the days went on, he began to wonder how long he had been there. He tried to keep track of time, but it was proving difficult in a pitch black basement. Nevertheless, he still estimated two weeks, give or take a few days. Over those days, a few new additions had been brought to the room and every time, Robin would size up the men bringing them in. Shifts changed, but in general, the same group of men alternated. One time in particular, a man caught him staring at them, but the boy behind him shoved his head forward before anything happened.

"Are you trying to get yourself chosen?" he hissed as they shut the doors.

"Chosen?"

"Yeah, I don't know which is worse, the ones who end up back in here or the ones who we never see again. Try not to be either." Robin considered the irony of those words as he listened to the days of crying. Luckily, the boys tended to cry softly to avoid getting in trouble. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to take it.

During the middle of what he considered day, but could very well be night, the door opened and a new man walked in. Robin glanced over from the corner of his eyes, looking the man over.

"Il y a quarante-trois, maintenant," one of the men spoke in French. Luckily, Slade had forced Robin to learn French over a year ago in anticipation of their Paris takeover. The newer one nodded, appearing to be in command over the other two.

"_And Monday_?" he asked, walking up and down the chains and admiring each boy.

"_Business has been plentiful and as I have said before, the auction should go well_. _We have many new buyers eager to get started_." He received a grunt in response. The man started walking down Robin's chain, examining everyone as he passed. As he approached the boy behind him, Robin turned his head and looked the man straight in the eye. Stopping suddenly, he met Robin's gaze, a smirk forming on his face.

"_And who do we have here_?" he commented, his two men stopping behind him.

"_This one has been doing that since his first day_." The man nodded, squatting to Robin's level. He grabbed Robin's jaw with his hand and examined his face, moving him like an object.

"And what is your name, dear boy?" he asked, switching to heavily accented English. Robin narrowed his eyes, glaring at him.

"J'ai pas un nom," Robin replied, wrenching his face out of the man's grip. The man chuckled, standing up and switching back to French.

"_I like this one_," he said, turning around and walking through the door. As the door shut, the boy behind Robin kicked him.

"What the fuck were you thinking?! You just signed your own death sentence!"

-Boston: Three Weeks Ago-

Victor sat in one of the chairs of their base room. The only other person in the room was Finn, who was once again reading a book on the couch.

"I take it you like to read?" he asked, trying to be friendly. He wanted to get to know his teammates better, but they always seemed out of reach. Finn was engulfed in books and Kate rarely came out of her bedroom. Occasionally Victor would join Bode in the gym, but he didn't see him much otherwise. Outside of missions, it seemed that they communicated very little. Coming from such a close knit team before made it difficult to adjust to the lack of companionship.

"Despite the fact that I carry a gun around with me at all times, I do prefer using my brain to brute force," he answered, his eyes not straying from the book. Victor nodded, understanding his viewpoint. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah," Victor replied.

"When you were shot, why did you bleed? I was under the impression that you were mostly robotic and that your legs were entirely robotic," Finn observed, looking over at Victor's completely covered legs.

"Oh… Well," he replied, fumbling.

"Feel free not to answer, but full discretion does make missions easier," Finn commented. "Perhaps next time we could be more prepared."

"You're right…most of my body is robotic, but there are still pieces of flesh here and there. Otherwise, I would simply be a robot." Victor unhinged a black panel from his upper thigh where he had been shot. "Right here is an area where I have some tissue. I don't exactly know why that particular section on both legs was saved, but it was…" he answered, exposing discolored and scarred flesh.

"That's a rather poorly planned flaw. Why not make your entire leg robotic in order to make you less vulnerable?"

"I-I don't know… I suppose that he wanted me to have as much of myself left as possible…" Victor explained. Finn put a marker in his book, placing it on the table, and Victor read the title, furrowing his brow at it.

"Well, if I was designing you, I wouldn't leave such a blatant weak spot like that." Victor caught his gaze, tensing his jaw and trying to rid himself of the anger. It wasn't like Finn knew about his past, he was just making his _educated_ observation. "You are good with technology, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No offense, but I've been trying to figure out why you are a candidate for our team," Finn explained. Despite the foreword, Victor found himself offended.

"You don't think I'm good enough," he asked angrily.

"No, no, no. That's not what I meant…" Finn apologized. "You see, everyone on this team has their own specialty to offer, something that no one else on the team has. For me, it is strategy. I like to learn and I like to apply what I learned to my job. For Kate, it is a lack of boundaries. There is very little that you could ask her to do that she will turn down, when it comes to her work. For Bode, it is survival and combat skill. He is the best of the best at fighting, despite what Kate might believe." Victor took in his words, understanding what he was trying to say. "You see, I was just wondering what your talent was."

"You're right, it's probably that. I've always been the tech guy," Victor offered. "At least, that's what my main role was with my last team." Finn appeared uncomfortable with the statement and shifted his weight.

"Don't talk about your past here…ever…" he warned.

"Er…Okay, sorry," Victor offered awkwardly, causing Finn to sigh in frustration.

"Look, we all came here to escape our past. This was our chance to make something new of ourselves," he explained. "I'd prefer to keep it that way." Victor nodded, deciding to no longer talk about his days as a Titan. It was probably best that way anyways.

The door opened and the two turned to look at the woman standing in the frame. Both stood up and Finn grabbed his book. "You two, debriefing room, now," she commanded. "And retrieve your teammates," she added, walking back out. Victor glanced at Finn, raising his eyebrows and walking forward. Finn immediately turned towards the gym to get Bode, so Victor turned towards the residential hallway, looking for Kate.

A soft beat became louder as he followed the corridor, eventually becoming loud enough for him to hear the words. He stopped at the door, slightly puzzled, and knocked. The music stopped and the sounds of scuffling came through the door. He waited a few moments before the door cracked open, Kate's pace peeking out.

"Yes?" she asked, slightly peeved.

"W-was that… French rap?" he asked, sidetracked.

"Yeah, what's it to you?"

"I've just never heard that before…" he explained. He actually liked the sound of it.

"Well, I like it, so fuck off. What do you want?" she asked abruptly. Victor noticed that she was in a particularly bad mood today.

"We have a meeting. I came to tell you," he replied.

"Oh." She opened the door wider and slid through, slamming it behind her before he could see in. She was an extremely private person from what he could tell, which he tried to respect. "Well, are we going or what?" she asked, facing him. He nodded and continued forward, heading towards the debriefing room. When they arrived, Bode and Finn were already there.

"Glad you finally joined us." The two took their seats, looking up at the board. Bode glanced at Kate with a careless look on his face. "Now, let's get started. John Vertoze," she stated, pointing to a picture of a heavily tattooed man. "Thanks to some effort on Kate's part, we now have identified this man as the leader of our gang." Victor looked at his packet, flipping through the information.

"Do we have an address?" Bode asked, neglecting his own packet.

"We do, it is in your information sheet. Feel free to look through that someday," she scorned and Kate looked down, concealing her smile.

"When do we make a move?" Victor asked.

"I don't just want John off the streets. The gang will move on with or without him. We need to rip it apart from the seams," she explained. "I have individual assignments for each of you, as well as a team assignment that you will complete Friday." Victor looked through his packet for his own assignment, stopping and reading it through. Everything seemed to fade into the background as he read.

_Infiltrate a cartel shipment on Thursday the 21__st__. Location enclosed on attached document. Capture and maim the loading dock workers, as well as any associates at the exchange. Leave no one behind, dead or alive. Make sure to bring Henry Ferro alive, see picture in attachment. After you have retrieved the targets, burn the dock and all merchandise to the ground. Do not leave until you are certain that the fire has spread into neighboring shipment containers. Bring all captives to base for questioning. Bring all bodies to morgue for disposal. _

"Victor!" she shouted, pulling him back to the world. He looked up, shock on his face. "Have you been listening at all, or shall I repeat everything for you?"

"I'm sorry, I was reading my mission," he apologized, his throat seizing up.

"You can read your packet later."

"…Sorry…" he murmured.

-Paris -

"About your merger plan," Slade began, addressing Robin.

"Yes?" he asked, memorizing the layout of several blueprints.

"I think that I found a quicker way to infiltrate, which won't require our use of Berlin," Slade explained, setting some papers down. Robin looked up at him, waiting for an explanation. "I have noticed that the city has a large rate of foreigners coming in, but never leaving…"

"Every major city has that problem," Robin stated. "Tourists die, that's just how it is."

"But you see, the largest demographic of missing persons are undocumented. It seems that no one ever misses them and their bodies scarcely show up." Slade slid a paper over to Robin. "I have reason to believe that Oriole is the leader of a rather large human trafficking ring," he explained, looking at Robin.

"You want to use that to take him down?" Robin posed, reading Slade's notes. Frankly, it seemed like a lot to take on.

"Yes, it would be the quickest way to get to him. If we could get our foot in the door of his business, then we have direct access to him."

"Most bosses sell drugs or weapons," Robin commented, scanning the list of potential selling sites. "But he has to sell humans…"

"Paul isn't most bosses. He took over abruptly about two years ago, choosing to focus on trafficking rather than drugs. I suspect that he brought in some former business associates, thus explaining why he already has such a refined process. It is a rather profitable business," Slade remarked, receiving a glance from Robin.

"Do we know where he keeps them?" he asked. "And what do you plan on doing with the kids when we are done?"

"No, not precisely. I have compiled a list of all the buildings that his associates own, so we need to start checking those. As for the children, we will deal with that when the time comes. I will start tailing him, try to get an invite for a shipment or auction."

"You'll attend the auction?" Robin asked, his voice stoic.

"That all depends on whether or not my plan follows through," Slade answered, staring at Robin. "The market is full of young women, a specialty of many other countries. Paul realizes this and takes advantage of the lack of merchandise for those of a different persuasion. He specializes in boys younger than twenty." Slade sighed and sat back in his chair. "You have a rather young face, you know?" Robin knew that he would go in that direction.

"You want me to sell myself?" he asked, posing it as less of a question and more of a statement.

"I want you to get yourself kidnapped. With a tracker on you, we can find out where he keeps the boys," Slade explained.

"What if someone buys me?"

"That's not likely to happen," Slade replied, a smirk on his face. "People are sold at auctions, and in the event that you are sold outside of an auction, you could simply kill your buyer after he takes you home." Robin nearly shuddered at that. With all that he had been through, the thought of a man purchasing him simply made him murderous.

"Suppose I make it to the auction, what then?"

"Like I said, I will be there to purchase you before anyone else does." Robin glared at him, knowing that it was a good plan. "After we leave, we can use the information you gathered to take it all down, including the ring." Robin huffed, thinking it over. It was the quicker way to do things, but he was rather reluctant. "Well, are you willing?"

"Do I have a choice?" Robin mused.

"Not exactly, no," Slade admitted. Robin nodded, standing up.

"Well, then. I guess it's decided. I'll start walking around the airports tomorrow," he stated, walking out of the room with a faint look of displeasure on his face.

-Tameran-

Beast Boy walked along the halls, waiting for Starfire to finally join him. After the feast last night, she disappeared into the crowd and he was shown back to his room. He had woken up to a knock on the door and someone had explained to him that she wanted to speak to him in the great hall. Now, he had been waiting for nearly an hour, wandering about until she came.

The more time he spent here, the more confused he became. He still didn't quite know whether or not Starfire was still his friend. She seemed so kind at dinner, but she had also been distant. He just wanted to have one friend that he could rely on to be the same. Everyone kept changing or dying and he was the only one that hadn't become any different. He didn't like it.

"Friend Beast Boy!" Starfire exclaimed, running towards him through the archway and pulling him into a bone crushing hug. Beast Boy coughed and gasped for air and she let go, remembering that humans were frail. "What brings you to Tameran? I have missed you so! How have you been?" she asked, overwhelming him with questions.

"Star, hold on a sec, you're talking too fast," he said, holding her arms.

"I am the sorry. Please forgive me, it is just pleasant to see such a friendly face," she said, smiling. Beast Boy smiled back at her, feeling relief that she was the same Starfire that he had always known.

"It's alright, it's really great to see you too! I missed almost having my ribcage crushed," he joked, receiving a look of concern from her. "Anyways, I came here to see you and to ask you for a favor."

"Oh? What would be the favor?" she asked with an eager voice.

"Er… Well," he began, suddenly not wanting to tell her why he came to visit. He began to rub the back of his neck, looking down at his feet.

"You can ask anything of me," she encouraged.

"I need you to come back to Earth with me," he murmured slowly. Her face fell and she took a step back.

"Beast Boy, I am not allowed on the planet Earth anymore…" she admitted, thinking that he didn't know. "I am ruling Tameran now… We are under threat of attack and I am busy with protecting the people of my home." Beast Boy felt the air leave him.

"Please Star, I really need you. I understand that you are busy, but I- I can't do this on my own…" he pleaded.

"What is it that you need my assistance for the doing?"

"It's Robin." Her face lost what friendliness was left, quickly turning blank. "I want to give it one last shot, Star."

"Why? He does not want the saving." Beast Boy furrowed his brows, taking a step forward.

"He deserves it," he declared. "After all he did for us, we owe him."

"I owe him nothing," she shot back. "I offered the help to him and in return, he hurt my friends."

"He is your friend, Star. This is his last chance, we need to take it!"

"I am sorry, friend Beast Boy, but I am unable to help you in your endeavor," she stated formally. "If that is all you came for, you may leave now." Beast Boy looked at her in betrayal, seeing the disappointment on her face. She was always the one who teamed up with him when it came to Robin.

"Please Star, you are all I have left…"

"Go ask friend Cyborg. Maybe he will aid you." Beast Boy paused, trying to keep his composure.

"I can't ask Cyborg…"

"Why not?" she asked. "Did he already say no?"

"No… He-he's dead…" he murmured, "Raven is missing and you are the only friend I have left…" Starfire tried to say something, but her throat caught before she could get it out.

"Cyborg-is?" she choked out, receiving a grim nod from Beast Boy. She walked over to a bench and sat down, taking a deep breath. She wanted to ask why and how, but she couldn't find the strength to do so. She doubted that she wanted to know. "Was it Robin?" she asked, her voice garbled.

"What? No! It was some gang," he explained. "Raven is God knows where and Cyborg is gone. If we don't at least try to save Robin, we will be all that is left of this team." Starfire looked at him as he placed his hand on her knee. Despite her reluctance, she didn't want to leave Beast Boy to do this on his own. Only having two left on the team was sad enough, she couldn't imagine if something happened to Beast Boy while trying to save Robin. Then she would truly be alone.

"I am not allowed on the Earth," she repeated, trying to convince herself more than anyone else.

"Don't worry about that," he assured. "I promise no one will arrest you."

"I can't just leave Tameran. My people need me."

"It's just for a little while. You can return afterwards if you want. Just find someone to run it temporarily while you are gone." Starfire sighed, sitting up straight.

"But we do not know where Robin is."

"Actually, I do," he said and she sighed in discontent. "He is in Paris. I figure it shouldn't take too long since we already know where he is." Starfire had run out of excuses, but still had doubts about going. Her planet was at a time of war, a good leader wouldn't just leave. Yet, Beast Boy was her friend and he needed help, especially with Cyborg gone. Even without her, Beast Boy would still go after Robin. It would be a death sentence if he went alone.

"Let me see if I can find the ruler for Tameran," she resigned. Beast Boy smiled in relief, pulling her in for a hug. She frowned into his shoulder, closing her eyes and hoping that Robin would be gone before they got to Paris.

"Thank you so much!" he whispered into her shoulder, pulling away and catching her eyes. "Star, I promise it will be different this time. Even if you don't have any hope, I can carry it for the both of us," he promised. She nodded, trying to feign a smile. Honestly, she had lost all hope of ever saving Robin a long time ago.

"I will help you with the Paris, but I must return afterwards," she bargained. Beast Boy could see the pain buried beneath her exterior. He supposed that Robin's final betrayal had really hurt her greatly, which made him appreciate her even more for agreeing to help him. Perhaps ruling Tameran was her way of forgetting about it and moving on. If he didn't need her help so badly, he would consider telling her to stay.

"Hey, Star, why were you so cold to me in court?" he asked, frowning slightly. He had nearly forgotten about asking her this.

"I was… the cold?" she asked, confused.

"You acted like you didn't even know me…" he clarified.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, understanding. "As I said before, Tameran is in a time of war. We are trying to stop the takeover of our home. I did not know that you were in the prison and as the queen, I must be fair in the court. It would be unfair if I treated you specially," she explained. "I am the sorry if it hurt your feelings."

"No, it's fine, I was just curious."

"I will go and speak to the council now," she declared, standing up. Beast Boy nodded, watching her leave and sitting back on the bench, wondering if he had made the right decision.

-Paris -

Robin walked up the street, stopping and pulling out a map. He stared at it, confusion apparent on his features. Next to him was a small suitcase with airport tags on it. This had been his third day walking around the airport and it was nearing noon. A few people had offered to give him a ride, but none of them looked familiar nor threatening. Today he had decided to dress even younger, wearing a pair of skinny jeans to age him down.

Several mopeds passed by, along with dozens of people avoiding bumping into him. He continued to stay in the middle of the sidewalk until one person slammed straight into him from behind, sending him stumbling forward. His map fell to the ground and began to fly away in the breeze.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath.

"I am so sorry!" a voice apologized behind him. He turned around and was met by an earnest face.

"It's alright… I just don't know how I'm going to find a hostel now…" Robin commented, his voice exasperated.

"Here… How about I take you to one? To repay you for losing your map? It's the least I can do," the man offered. Robin looked around, his face nervous. He slid his hands into his pockets and sighed.

"I don't know…"

"You shouldn't be out on the streets alone, how old are you?" the man asked, appearing to be concerned.

"Sixteen," Robin lied.

"When are your parents coming?"

"They don't know I'm here… I'd prefer to keep it that way," he confided, receiving a smile in return.

"You'll be better off at a hostel. There is one just a few blocks down and I'm heading that way anyways, what do you say?" he offered again, his English impeccable. "My son would be disappointed if he found out I didn't help you."

"Er… I guess… Thanks," Robin said, grabbing his bag and walking down the road. People around them continued on walking, not noticing nor caring about the boy being enticed by an older man. No wonder their business was thriving. He stopped in front of a café, handing his suitcase over. "Hold this for me, I'm going to use the restroom real quick." The man nodded and Robin walked into the café, quickly being directed to the bathroom upon request.

He closed the door and walked to the sink, grabbing onto the sides and leaning forward. With a deep breath, he looked in the mirror, grimacing at his own reflection. He looked at his eyes and clenched his hands, sighing and looking into the sink. His knuckles began to turn white and he closed his eyes, growling under his breath in frustration. Counting to five, he stood back up, straightening out his shirt and glancing at himself once more in the mirror. He walked out of the bathroom, standing in the café for a few moments before leaving.

"You ready?" the man asked, still holding his suitcase. Robin pulled out the best fake smile that he could and walked forward. The two walked down the street where he was directed into a black SUV. He slid across the leather seat, promptly being joined by the man. "Could you take us to the nearest hostel?" he requested, addressing the driver. With a nod, the man drove forward, taking them down the street.

"So, what brings you to Paris?" the man asked, his voice friendly.

"I was hoping to get a new start… Travel for a while before deciding what I want to do with my life," Robin answered, feigning nervousness.

"Ah, so you ran away?"

"Just borrowed some money and told them I'd be back in a while."

"The parent-child bond can be a difficult one," the man mused. "I think you'll rather enjoy Paris though." He leaned forward and opened a cooler, pulling out two waters and handing one to Robin. With a glance, Robin took a swig of the water, screwing the cap back on and looking at his feet. "It'll be an experience…" Turning away, Robin looked out the window, waiting for the drowsiness to take over. Before long, he found himself succumbing to the sweet lull of sleep.

…

Bright light seeped into his vision and he opened his eyes slightly. He was lying on a cold metal table, not something he was unfamiliar with, and several voices blurred around him. They were speaking in French, but he couldn't understand it, he was too dizzy. He didn't understand why he was here, nor why they were stripping him. Everything just seemed fuzzy, like nothing made sense. He could barely recall his own name, _Richard._

"Et ca?"

"Je ne sais pas… Il a seize ans… Ses parents ne savent pas qu'il est ici." Robin rolled his head to the side, trying to look at them as the edges of his vision blackened.

"Qu'est que c'est ca?"

"Une cicatrice…" the man offered, trailing his hand along Robin's chest. "Curieux…" Robin made a throaty sound and closed his eyes, falling back asleep. Within an hour, he would wake back up, chained to the ground and stripped of his street clothes.

-Boston: Several Days Later-

Victor stalked along the shadows, taking refuge in the dark as the trucks passed him by. It was nearing closing time, yet there were still several shipments coming in, each in an unmarked truck. There were also a suspicious number of black vans sitting near the cargo deck. Nearly a dozen men were waiting for the arrival, leaving Victor to reconsider his plan. For a solo mission, this was a lot to handle. He assumed that it was some form of test, something to see if he could handle danger alone. Little did he know that Robin had taken on larger crowds alone and walked out without a single living witness.

He ran back to the entrance, flagging down the next truck that entered. His black uniform made him appear as if he was working with the gang, giving the truck driver reason to trust him. He pulled over and Victor opened the door, injecting him with a tranquilizer and moving him out of the driver's seat. Once he was safely hidden outside the gate, Victor drove forward, heading towards the docking station. A man directed him to his parking spot and he hopped out of the truck, walking over and shaking his hand. The ring on his finger allowed him to look completely human, but he still received a second glance.

The two opened the back of his truck, exposing hundreds of boxes of ammunition. The supplies ranged from simple nine millimeter bullets to explosive powder. He thought he even spotted a box of grenades. What they had in mind for the weapons, he did not want to imagine.

"Go to them for your payment," the man commanded, indicating towards the group of men to his right. Victor nodded curtly, walking over without another word and stopping in front of a large table. A duffle bag sat on the table and he assumed that it was filled with a large sum of cash. Unloaded trucks were pulling out as their owners had received their payment and were ready to leave. Within a few minutes, he would be the last one here, or so he hoped.

"Name?" one man asked. Each of the men around him were wearing a ski mask, so he couldn't identify which was Ferro. It didn't matter anyways, he needed to take all of them. With a second of hesitation, he took a deep breath and pressed a button hidden in his jacket sleeve. A large hiss came from his arm and gas filled the air. Everyone immediately pulled out their guns, firing at him with decreasing accuracy. He dropped to the floor, pulling on a gas mask and feeling the impact of a bullet on his vest. Within seconds, the men began to drop and Victor stood up, kicking their guns out of their hands.

"Victor Stone," he replied, looking down at the limp bodies. He began to pull their masks off, stopping when he found Ferro. Without a second glance, he lifted the man over his shoulder and started walking to one of the black vans. Throwing him in the trunk, he whipped around as a noise caught his attention. The man who had sent him over was aiming at him, pulling the trigger before he could do anything. The bullet landed directly over his heart and he took a step back, grunting at the impact. He pulled his own gun out, retaliating with a shot to the femur.

The other man fell, screaming in pain, and Victor walked over, stopping in front of him. He pulled a needle out of his belt, injecting the man in the neck and ripping the leg off of the bloody pants with a knife. He promptly wrapped it around the wound, compressing it and cutting off the circulation. After he placed him in the back of the van, he went to retrieve the other bodies, loading them as best as he could. Several of them ended of lying on top of each other in the back as there was little room. He then covered them all with several large blankets and walked to the truck with the ammunition. Looking around to see if there was anyone left, he placed a small square object on the truck.

The van roared as he turned the key and he wasted no time driving away, only setting off the bomb once he was out of the dock. He couldn't help but jump slightly at the explosion and he watched it in the mirror, disturbed by the sight of it. Considering the large amount of gun powder in that van, he probably destroyed the entire dock, including all the regular cargo that had been delivered. He never felt closer to being a villain than he did right now. Everything had gone unusually smoothly, but he couldn't help but feel nervous about what had just happened.

The car ride back to base was quiet and particularly long. He reflected on whether or not taking this job was the right choice. On one hand, this organization did good and saved many lives through their work. On the other, they did it illegally and advocated killing. He had always known that there was significant grey area when it came to justice, but he found it becoming harder to see what was right.

He pulled into the base, being met by his team who helped him unload the captives. Bode took one over each shoulder and Kate pulled the injured man out.

"Get him to the medical bay," Victor delegated. Kate nodded and walked off, pulling the man behind her by his elbows. Bode followed the trail of blood she left, taking a turn after a few feet. He would have to come back and retrieve the rest of the captives alone. Victor had received special instructions on where to take Ferro, so he hoisted the man over his shoulder and walked to the interrogation room. There was a hallway of rooms, all for different styles of interrogation, but Victor stopped in front of the third room, opening the door and dropping Ferro into the only chair in the room. After sitting him up, he walked out, being greeted at the door.

"I see your mission was a success," she commented, looking through the window at Ferro. "You managed to destroy the equipment as well?" Victor nodded, joining her in looking at the man. "Your task is not finished yet." Victor looked over at her, waiting for her instruction. "We already know where Vertoze is and we have stopped all incoming weaponry, so why do you think that I wanted you to bring Ferro in alive?"

"To see if he can give us further information on John?" he guessed.

"If you want to be a part of this team permanently, I need to know that you are committed to serving the appropriate justice. We cannot have a weak link and considering your past associations, it is necessary that I see you prove your loyalty first hand," she explained, her voice gruff.

"I want to stop these kinds of men, you know that."

"Then go back inside that room and terminate him," she instructed. Victor's breath caught and he turned to face her.

"Despite what that man has done, I will not kill him while he is asleep. Killing a man while he is unable to defend himself is cowardly and weak," he stated.

"I have let you into our organization, disclosed to you our names and whereabouts. Once you walk in here, you don't walk out. You can either spend the rest of your days serving our purpose, or you can join your official status as deceased." Victor stood his ground.

"I would rather die than kill someone who is defenseless. If I am going to prove my loyalty, it will be in battle," he said.

"How noble," a voice cooed. Victor turned around to see Kate, her uniform covered in blood. "As much as I would like to come to your defense, there is no honor in murder. Whether you kill him in a fight or in his sleep makes no difference. Either way, he is dead in the end. God does not care whether or not the kill was honorable…" she mused, opening the door and walking into the room. The two stood watching through the two way mirror as Kate looked down at Ferro. She gazed uncaringly at his sleeping form, pulling out her gun and pressing it against his chest. The bullet was silenced by the padding in the room and she walked back out, closing the door and looking at Victor. "We all pay for it the same in the end…"

She walked off, her face now splattered with blood from the gunshot. Victor felt a hand tighten around his arm and he turned around. His ring was pulled off and he returned to his true form, but when he held his hand out, she did not return it to him.

"You could learn from her. There is no _honor_ in our business. Don't pretend to be self-righteous, because we are just as bad as the ones that we take down. The only way to stop evil is through evil," she said, dropping the ring in his hand. "Get your act together." Victor looked down at the ring as she walked off, frowning. Was he actually doing justice or just doing evil under the guise of justice?

-Tameran-

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire started, leaning on the balcony next to him and looking out at the city. "I am afraid that I must remain here for two more of the weeks, it is of the crucial importance. If all goes good with our treaty, I will leave with you. Is this the okay?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, I'm in no rush now that I found you… I just don't want to wait too long and miss our shot," he replied, admiring the landscape. Tameran was beautiful in its own way and he was becoming used to the odd air quality. The next two weeks would drag on, but hopefully everything would go well so that they could leave immediately afterwards. They needed to make one quick stop before heading to Paris and Beast Boy was more eager for that than anything. Within the next few months, everything would come to a resolution. He only wished he knew what the resolution was. The foreboding feeling in his stomach was what terrified him. Something deep inside of him told him that it was not going to be good.

-Paris: Present Day-

It had been three weeks since Robin had allowed himself to be kidnapped and the auction approached quickly. Despite the always present void inside of him, he felt his stomach tighten in anticipation. He was about to be sold off like a piece of property, and to Slade nonetheless. Slade owned him anyways, it wasn't like he needed validation for that in the form of money. It wasn't so much Slade's bidding that made him uncomfortable, but rather the thought of others eyeing him and thinking about him in a sexualized manner. He hoped that he would be able to kill everyone in that room one day. He may be a murderer and a backstabber, but human trafficking was a whole new level that he was not okay with. Even if Slade commanded him to run something like that, he would draw the line. Then again, he had said the same thing about murder...

His body felt weaker every day, mostly from lack of movement, nutrition, and sunlight. He was thankful that Slade was retrieving him, because escaping would be a rather difficult task to pull off at his energy level right now. Falling asleep had become easier and he often found himself being woken up by the boy in front of him. Whenever he would doze off and lean forward, the boy would shove him off furiously. Much to his dismay, he had to take the offer to lean on the kid behind him. Two more days and it would all be over. He found himself thankful that the days passed quickly.

"Okay, everyone up!" a man shouted in English, then in several other languages as he unlocked their chains from the ground. In sequence, everyone stood up and walked forward like a chain gang, their legs sore. A few struggled with walking and one even collapsed, only to be dragged off by two men. They were all crowded into a large room with dozens of showerheads. Each one was un-cuffed and forced under the showerhead after their shirt had been removed. As everyone finished, they were handed robes and directed into several vans where they were driven to a new destination. Robin felt around his teeth with his tongue, checking to see if the tracking device was still there.

They sat in rows on the floor of the van, staring at each other in the darkness. Robin could feel the utter despair in the air. Everyone was so empty, so vulnerable, and it made him uncomfortable. Some of them reminded him of himself with their blank faces and empty stares. His lip twitched and he looked down, not wanting to see their gazes anymore.

The van halted to a stop and several men led them out into the parking garage. They were separated off into two groups, by which category, Robin could not tell. In his opinion, the youngest ones appeared to be in the other group. They were then led up several flights of stairs and into a large, empty room. Without so much as a word, they were locked in, left to sit and wait for their fates. An hour passed without so much as a noise before a loud voice echoed into the room.

"_Welcome and thank you for your patience,"_ the voice spoke in French. Robin wondered how many of the kids here could understand the voice.

"_We would like to begin the auction with our first group, ascending in age. As always, group one is the previously used category. If you should like to buy a virgin, you will have to wait until the group two auction, which will follow promptly." _Robin could see a few faces become fearful upon hearing this, making it easy for him to spot the native French speakers. One of them was the boy who sat behind him beforehand. He caught eyes with him across the room, exchanging a glance of understanding.

The doors opened and three boys were grabbed, being pulled out of the room. People began to shake as the doors slammed. If Robin could feel, he would feel for the younger ones.

"_To begin, our youngest at the estimated age of ten. Found in the streets begging, obviously abused previously, but very weak and willing. Let the bidding start at one thousand euros." _The boy across from Robin made a sound of disgust, looking at the ground in anger. Nearly an hour passed as the room began to clear, with only a few boys being brought back unsold. Robin wondered what happened when no one bid on them.

"_And now for the last of group one," _the man exclaimed. The men came back into the room, grabbing Robin's chain mate, the boy next to him, and himself. He was led down the hallway and into a backstage area, the entire time gritting his teeth at the pain in his legs. The boy he had been talking to during captivity was stripped of his robe and cuffed with his hands behind his back. Robin avoided his gaze as he was led out on stage.

"_Here we have a fifteen year old native to Paris. If you are looking for a French speaker, then this one is for you. He is a prostitute from the eight arrondissment. Bidding starts at four hundred euros." _Robin couldn't hear any talking, leading him to conclude that the auction was silent or electronic. After a minute, the boy was brought back with a look of both relief and worry on his face. He regarded Robin as he was led back to the room with the other rejects.

One of the men approached Robin, pulling his robe off abruptly. He wanted to struggle despite his mission, but he was just too tired. His hands were cuffed behind him, leaving him completely exposed, and for the first time in a long time, embarrassed. The man pushed him forward and he wrenched his hands away, trying to retain some dignity. He was led onto an old wooden stage, lit up so bright that he couldn't see into the audience. It appeared to him that he was in an old, probably abandoned theater. All he could think was that Slade better have gotten himself an invite to the auction.

"_Here we have a sixteen year old American who can speak limited French. He is a special case, because as you can see by his plentiful supply of scars, he was badly abused. The S on his chest suggests that he had a previous owner, yet our examination suggested that he might still be a virgin. We still keep him in category one due to his obvious maltreatment. Bidding starts at six hundred euros." _The room remained silent aside from a lone cough and some ruffling of paper. Robin wanted desperately to unlock the cuffs and cover himself, but refrained from doing so. His jaw was clenched and he dug his nails into his palms. He had never felt so vulnerable in his life.

"_Thank you for your bidding, you can pick up your item back stage if you exit through door three." _A man came and pulled Robin to the opposite side of stage and he let out a breath of relief. At least that was over. Once he was un-cuffed, he covered himself with his hands, but a leather collar was promptly put around his neck, making him forget about his nakedness. The urge to plunge something deep into the man's neck was extremely difficult to resist as the collar tightened. He was being treated like an animal.

The door opened and a man walked in, approaching his new toy. Robin turned to glare at Slade, but choked on his breath as he saw the man in front of him. This was the man who had spoken to him earlier. This was who ran everything, he knew his face from the beginning, Slade had showed it to him. Robin's lip curled as he faced the man that he had been planning to kill for the past few weeks.

"_Would you like a leash?" _his escort asked, holding up a matching leather leash. Robin snapped it out of his hand and threw it, refusing to be led like a dog.

"_I am not an animal," _he growled in French. His new owner chuckled, patting him on the head.

"_I am going to like this one," _he commented. Robin narrowed his eyes, truly hating Slade at the moment. "_Come, I have a limousine waiting for us outside,"_ he said, motioning for Robin to follow with his finger. "_Obey my orders and you will be treated well, disobey and I assure you, you will be punished."_ Robin followed suit, feeling déjà vu at that statement. As he dragged behind his new owner, he could see a white haired man standing in a small crowd of people. He gave Slade a look of pure emptiness as he was led out by his new master, his body going completely numb.

* * *

For those who speak French, I did my best with my knowledge, but I haven't spoken or taken a class in nearly three years, so I apologize for errors. I left out of 'ne' in 'j'ai pas un nom' as I heard it was common practice in regular speech.

For those who do not speak French, I apologize if you are peeved by the untranslated parts, but I felt it was better in certain situations (especially when he can't understand it himself while drugged).

Thank you for your support and I look forward to updating soon! (Hopefully)

**Also, thank you for your feedback so that I could clarify the situation with Cyborg's leg. **


	30. Sell Yourself, Sell Your Soul

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

* * *

Streets flew by as Robin looked out of the car window, covering himself with the blanket that his new owner, Paul, offered. The city began to fade as they passed through the arrondissments, leaving nothing but rural area around them.

"Dear boy, what is your name? Or shall I pick one for you?" Paul asked, finally breaking the silence as he sat next to Robin. He spoke in English, figuring that it would be easier to communicate. Robin looked over at him, his face vacant of any expression.

"Call me whatever you like," he replied carelessly. It wasn't like he could tell him his name anyways. Paul chuckled, enjoying Robin's defiant character.

"Well, then… Let me see, shall I call you Jean?" he suggested, saying the first name that popped into his head. "Or would you prefer pet?" he said, smiling when he got a rise out of Robin.

"Jean is fine…" he growled.

"So, tell me Jean, what happened to you?" Paul asked.

"You bought me," Robin answered.

"Before you got here," he elaborated. "I can't pretend to not notice your impressionable scars, nor the initial on your chest." Robin clenched the door next to him, feeling Paul's eyes all over his body. "What happened to your previous owner?"

"He didn't want me anymore," Robin spat, trying to end the conversation.

"Oh, why not? You are rather beautiful. I cannot fathom why someone would hurt you so." Robin once again gritted at the complement. He had nothing to say, no excuse to make. "Did he hurt you in other ways as well?"

"What?"

"What purpose did you serve him?" Robin hoped that he wasn't implying anything.

"I worked for him…"

"Did you service him?" Paul asked slowly, his gaze boring into Robin's bones. Robin spun around to look at him, his face furious.

"No! It wasn't like that!"

"So, you are a virgin?" His breath caught and he paused. This was not something he felt like talking about. "It seems to me, by the way you squirm when being looked at, that you are indeed a virgin. Either that, or you have only ever been raped." Robin resisted the urge to strangle the man.

"I have never been raped, nor do I plan to be," he growled, intending it as a warning.

"Do not worry, I won't force you to move too fast. We can take our time, I am in no rush. The best things in life are worth waiting for, especially if it means both parties enjoy it." Robin turned away, shuttering at the thought of being touched, let alone enjoying it. No amount of numbness could make that go away.

Large iron gates approached and the car stopped, only continuing through after the gates opened. They followed through a winding path of trees and shrubs before they arrived in the front of a manor. It had traditional architecture, giving it the look of a castle, but there were modern elements that kept it from looking too royal. The door opened for Paul and he got out. Robin tried to open his own door, but found that it was locked. Preparing to slide across, he stopped when his door was opened by Paul. Hating the forced chivalry, Robin climbed out, being careful not to let the blanket fall off. He was led to the front door, his bare feet crunching on the gravel. Within moments, a butler greeted them and the two walked in.

"This is your new home, I expect you will find it to your liking," Paul declared, admiring the entryway and its fine cherry wood. He turned to his butler, switching to French, "_Go and fetch some clothes for Jean, he will be needing them."_ Robin eyed him, suspicious of his willingness to clothe him. "We will go into town tomorrow to buy you some proper fitting clothes, but for now, you will have to make do."

Robin walked forward, feeling the smooth wooden floors on his feet and examining the décor. He made his way to the kitchen, following the open floor plan.

"Are you hungry?" Paul asked.

"No…" Robin lied, not wanting to eat anything that might be drugged.

"You will have to eat. I will not tolerate your current weight," Paul commented, walking ahead of him. Robin glared at his back, but followed. He was led up a grand staircase and down several halls. It reminded him of Wayne manor, just with more color and grandeur. He felt like a child again, being led to his room for the first time. "Here is where you will sleep for the time being."

Robin walked into the room, his eyes immediately landing on the king sized bed and the plush cushions. In the corner, there was a couch and two chairs, along with a coffee table and a tray for drinks. Lying on one of the chairs was a pair of pants and a shirt, which he snatched up quickly.

"The bathroom is right there if you care to change." Following his suggestion, Robin walked into the bathroom, only dropping the blanket after he was certain that the door was locked. He pulled the clothes on, struggling to keep the pants around his waist. He made to leave, only stopping when he saw his reflection in the mirror. He hoped that it was just the oversized clothes, but he looked absolutely horrible. Deciding to deal with that later, he walked out, not wanting to investigate his atrophy further.

"Breakfast will be served at seven, lunch at noon, and dinner at six. I will join you for dinner, but the rest of the day you are free to wander about the house. Of course, leaving the house without me is out of the question, so don't bother to try. Frances will be around to assist you should you need anything," Paul explained, walking towards the doors.

"Where are you going?"

"I have business to attend to," he replied, shutting the doors behind him and leaving Robin to his room.

-Boston-

Starfire sat across from Beast Boy, a tube of mustard in front of her. The customers were staring at the odd duo, but neither cared about the attention they were receiving. They weren't supposed to be seen, as per Batman's orders, but Beast Boy didn't really care. It had been three days since they returned from Tameran and they were only here to visit Cyborg's grave, but they had been unsuccessful in finding it. Beast Boy had a feeling that no one cared to bury him or leave a memorial plaque. They tried getting help from city hall in finding out more about the murder, but the records couldn't be released to the public. Going to the police wasn't exactly an option either.

"Friend Beast Boy, I think we should just go to Paris now… We can build the memorial for Cyborg after," Starfire suggested.

"Maybe if we break into the records, we can steal his file…" Beast Boy mused.

"Beast Boy," Starfire said, trying to get his attention. "It will not change what has happened if we find the file." Beast Boy sighed, nodding.

"I know, I just… I was hoping that we would find out it wasn't real," he admitted. Starfire placed her hand on his across the table, smiling sweetly at him.

"We must be strong if we hope to keep going. We can do the mourning later." Beast Boy squeezed her hand, finishing off his soda and standing up.

"You're right, let's go." Starfire stood up, grabbing her mustard and sipping it as they walked out. One man gagged at the sight, but she continued on, completely oblivious.

"You are the certain you don't know where friend Raven is?"

"No, I have no idea... Haven't heard from her since court and I can't get in contact with her…"

"I wonder if she went back to her home planet of Azarath?" Starfire hypothesized, looking at all the buildings around them. Earth was so different than Tameran, especially in the architecture of their cities. They walked along the street, weaving through the crowd and heading towards their ship.

"Star? I have something to tell you that I think is important," Beast Boy said, raising his voice above the crowd.

"Yes?"

"When we find Robin-" he began, cutting off as his ears perked up. A loud hiss caught his attention and he stopped, grabbing Starfire's arm. "Do you hear that?"

"Pst! Yo! Come here," a voice whispered. Beast Boy furrowed his brow, following the voice to a small space between two buildings. His heart raced, he knew that voice. Starfire followed him reluctantly into the alleyway, knowing that it was a bad idea. The two stopped, staring at the hooded figure in the shadows.

"Beast Boy, we should-"

"Cyborg?" Beast Boy asked, cutting Starfire off. The figure pulled his hood down, exposing a fleshy face. Beast Boy stepped back, surprised by the sight. "Cyborg?" he repeated, this time in confusion.

"What are you guys doing here?" he replied. Beast Boy broke out into a smile and wrapped his arms around his old friend unabashedly, hugging him with all his might.

"I knew you weren't dead! I knew it!" he exclaimed and Cyborg quickly shushed him.

"Man, you've grown since the last time I saw you," he whispered. "Look, I'm not supposed to be here, so tell me what you guys are doing in Boston." Beast Boy pulled back and Starfire took her turn to hug him.

"We came to find you," Beast Boy explained. "I saw that you were dead and I didn't believe it, so I wanted to see for myself." Cyborg nodded, pulling Starfire out of the hug and smiling at her. "Dude, why don't you look like you?"

"Oh, I'm wearing that disguise ring that I used to infiltrate the HIVE."

"It is glorious to see you again!" Starfire exclaimed. "I am so joyous that you are not the dead!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry guys. I didn't mean to scare you," Cyborg apologized.

"Wait… Then why did you fake your death?" Beast Boy asked, his tone slightly irritated. Now that Cyborg was alive, he couldn't help but feel angry at the lie.

"That-I'll explain it later. The important thing is that you know the truth… but you can't tell anyone."

"We will not, friend Cyborg!"

"Yeah, because me and Starfire, two fugitives out of our legal boundaries, are going to go to the police," Beast Boy joked. Cyborg laughed, missing Beast Boy's sense of humor.

"Are you guys okay? Did you only come here for me?" Cyborg asked, forgetting time for the moment. "Have you heard from Raven?"

"No, we haven't heard from Raven… We were actually on our way to Paris, this was just a stop," Beast Boy announced. Cyborg looked at Starfire and she nodded solemnly.

"What's in Paris?"

"Robin," Beast Boy replied.

"Wait, what? You are going after Robin? How'd you find him?"

"Remember Clark and Vince?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah, I remember Clark. He came and visited me in the shop a few weeks back."

"Well, I found out that they were still tailing us all. So, I looked to see where they were and Vince has been on _vacation_ in Paris for the past three months. He has to be there because of Robin, that's the only thing that makes sense."

"What if he is actually on the vacation?" Starfire asked.

"He is about to lose his job for all the time he is taking off, I doubt that he would risk that for some stupid vacation," Beast Boy stated.

"And you two are going alone?" Cyborg asked. Beast Boy nodded, despite having been about to ask for Cyborg's help. Cyborg sighed, looking around.

"You know that taking him on alone is insane," he chastised, receiving a nod from the two. "Damn it… Let me see what I can do. Meet me back here tomorrow at the same time."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Beast Boy asked. He didn't want him to just leave.

"I have to do something. I'll talk to you tomorrow," he said, running off.

…

"Hey, Vic! We are going over our plans for Wednesday, we couldn't find you," Bode shouted, stopping abruptly from his quick pace.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute, I just need to do something first," he replied, bypassing Bode.

"You know boss is going to kill you if you fuck up because you missed the meeting!" he yelled, his voice fading as Victor ran. Victor slowed down in front of an office, knocking twice and waiting for a reply. The door opened and he was shown in. Nearly an hour passed before he finally walked out, relieved and nervous at the same time. He made his way to the common room, dropping on the couch with a sigh.

"Nice of you to finally join us," Kate said sarcastically. Victor looked up at his teammates. "You missed the entire meeting! Where were you?"

"I was talking to-"

"Cut the bullshit, we want to know where you were _this afternoon_. Don't think that you can just walk out of here without us noticing."

"I was with some of my old teammates," he admitted, knowing that they would not be happy. As predicted, Finn sighed in frustration and Bode's face fell.

"Are you serious? We trusted you," Finn said. "We were willing to let you on our team, to trust you with our lives, and you go running back to your old life? This is why we had to fake our deaths, Victor! So that we don't have our past popping up and distracting us!"

"I'm not trying to find them, they found me…"

"But you still let them know it was you! You are supposed to ignore them and pretend you don't know who they are; that is the deal!" Kate shouted.

"I couldn't help it, I needed to know why they were here. If I didn't, then they would probably be dead within a month!" he stressed.

"They aren't a part of your life anymore!"

"I can't leave them to get killed, not like this," he argued. "If I let them do what they are planning alone, they _will_ die!"

"Then let them!" Kate said. Victor glared at her, infuriated.

"I will not let my friends die just because I joined some shady organization! And I already got clearance, so if you have a problem, take it up with your boss!" Bode and Kate both stopped, shocked.

"She cleared you to help them?"

"Yes, and I will be back within a month, that is the deal," he stated. Kate shook her head.

"No…no…no… What did you give her in exchange? What did you do?!" she exclaimed. Bode took a step forward.

"What did you offer her?" he asked solemnly.

"Never mind that. I'm sorry, but you are going to have to finish the job on your own," Victor apologized.

"You don't even know what you just did," Kate breathed, laughing in disbelief. "Not to mention that she literally only had us taking this gang down for _you_, and you just leave?!"

"I'm sorry, but if you guys were in trouble, I wouldn't leave you to die." Kate scoffed, storming away and nearly knocking Finn over as she passed him in the doorway. Bode walked up to Victor, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I hope this works out for you, because trust me, you don't want to have made a deal for nothing…" he said, dropping his arm and walking away.

"I warned you about digging up the past," Finn commented ominously. "You'll understand one day, once it's too late." He followed the other two out the doorway, leaving Victor all alone.

-Paris-

It was Robin's second day in the manor and he had spent most of it in the gym. It took him a while to find, making him doubt that there was one before he found it. He needed to make up for lost time and start rebuilding muscle. Ignoring the thought that the food may be drugged, he graciously ate four portions at dinner the previous night, receiving a chuckle from Paul. He had expected him to stick around after dinner and try to talk, but that wasn't the case. As soon as he had finished, Paul left and he was left to explore some more.

After finding the gym, he worked out for a few hours, surprised by how difficult everything was. He woke up first thing in the morning to go back, only taking a break to eat breakfast. It was nearing lunch and he was exhausted, having pushed himself beyond his limit. He decided that he would go back after dinner, but he needed to take a few hours off for now.

Stopping by his room, he decided to take a shower before heading to lunch. He did not feel like sitting drenched in sweat for the next few hours. The hot water burn his skin as it streamed down his body, leaving him bright red. There was nothing better than that pain in his opinion. Plus, it was always something that was _his_.

"Jean," a voice echoed. Robin clenched his jaw, turning around and covering himself at the sight of Paul in the bathroom. "We will be shopping for some clothes this evening, so be ready to leave at five. I am hoping to make it home in time for dinner." Robin glared at him through the clear glass, steam being the only thing protecting him from sight.

"Okay," he growled. Paul nodded and walked out, leaving him to finish his shower. He was no longer the mood, so he hopped out and got dressed, wearing the same outfit that he had been working out in since it was all he had. He made his way down to the dining room, where he was served lunch by Frances. Unlike Alfred, this butler was cold and silent, only speaking when necessary. Even then, he only spoke in short, harsh sentences.

Before long, five rolled around and Paul came to collect Robin, directing him into a shiny black beamer. The two sat in the back in silence until they arrived in Paris, getting out of the car when they reached a large, high scale mall. The first store that Paul took him to was a Nordstrom. Immediately, Robin felt uncomfortable. He did not like wearing casual clothes, especially when they were thousands of dollars. For that price, he would expect some nice Kevlar.

He let Paul play dress up for the next hour, trying on whatever he was told to and choosing whatever Paul liked the most. He didn't particularly care what he got either way. After they finished buying his casual clothes and a few workout outfits of Robin's choosing, the two went over to a fine suit maker. Paul spoke to a worker who quickly directed Robin onto a platform for measurements. He stood there as the man measured him, avoiding his own gaze in the mirror.

The man went into the back room and came out with a solid black suit, handing it to Robin after Paul nodded. Robin stepped behind the curtain and put on the suit, including the blue shirt that accompanied it. A pair of sleek black shoes were shoved into the room and Robin put them on, stepping out for Paul to see.

"_Oh, yes, that is very nice_," Paul commented, speaking French for the worker. "_And how soon would the tailoring be done?" _

"_Three days," _the man replied. Paul waved his hand and the man walked off, ringing the suit up at the register.

"Why do I need a suit?" Robin asked, shrugging his shoulders to adjust the jacket.

"There will be a formal dinner party on Saturday, you require the appropriate dressings," Paul replied. "Now take that off." Robin stepped off the pedestal and went back into the changing room, putting on one of the outfits that they had just bought. He hated the way Paul looked at him, especially when he had the suit on.

He stepped out to find Paul at the register, paying with a shiny credit card. Ignoring the price on the monitor, he walked out of the store and stood in the corridor. People passed by, chatting merrily and ignoring the boy wearing a collar. Robin looked through the crowd, eyeing the food court. His eyes stopped once he realized that he recognized a face. Knowing exactly who was sitting there staring at him, he looked away, not wanting to let them know that he saw. Paul came back out, carrying one of the Nordstrom bags.

"We will be back here on Friday to have your final fitting," he explained, pulling the boy to face him. "I have something for you." Robin narrowed his eyes, avoiding Paul's gaze and looking past him into the store. Paul pulled him closer, touching his neck. Robin closed his eyes, knowing he couldn't do anything about it in public, and tried to ignore all feeling in his body. "There you go." Robin opened his eyes, surprised that he didn't try anything. Putting his hand to his neck, he felt around to see what Paul did. He stopped on his collar, where a cold metal tag now resided.

"What?" he asked, hoping beyond all hope it wasn't what he thought it was.

"It says my name, every pet needs one," he replied, a smirk on his face. Robin shoved him away and started walking, beyond furious and humiliated. He would rip this off as soon as he got home.

-The Atlantic-

Starfire walked into the large pilot's room, taking a seat next to Beast Boy and behind Cyborg. Naturally, the two were thrilled to be handing the pilot's seat over to Cyborg since they barely made it back to Earth on their own. If anything, she was just happy that he was alive and that she hadn't lost another friend. Beast Boy also seemed to be in an unusually good mood compared to late. All the nervousness from planning Paris was gone for the time being. He felt invincible with his friends.

"Where exactly is he in Paris?" Cyborg asked, trying to clarify what arrondissment he needed to land near.

"I don't know," Beast Boy replied, raising his voice so that Cyborg could hear him.

"Paris is huge, man! I thought you knew."

"Like I said, I only know where Vince is… I figure we can just tail him until he takes us to Robin," Beast Boy offered. "He is in the second arron-whatever."

"What do you think Vince is doing?"

"Er… I have no idea… I've been trying to figure out why Clark wants Robin so bad, but nothing seems to make sense. It's like it's personal or something."

"I think he is just mean," Starfire chimed in. Cyborg laughed, focusing on the controls. He missed these two more than he realized. Being back with them was like remembering a past life that had been forgotten.

"If Vince doesn't lead us to Robin, we can always figure out who runs the crime," Beast Boy suggested, just now coming up with the idea.

"I'm sure they are doing the same thing that they did in New York, so that could work," Cyborg added. "How long have they been there? Do you know?"

"Vince has been there for like three months, so longer than that," Beast Boy guessed.

"That seems like a long time…" He knew they couldn't have been there for the whole year after New York. Slade would never stay somewhere so long. "We should be there in a few hours now." Everyone settled deeper into their seats, bracing for what was to come.

-Paris-

Three men walked into a dimly lit room and sat next to each other on one of the several couches. Paul walked over from his desk, sitting across from them and pouring small amounts of a drink from a glass bottle.

"_Is this that fifteen year old rum you always talk about?" _one man asked, rolling the drink around in his glass and smelling it. "_What's the occasion?" _Paul sat back, taking a sip and sighing.

"_Our last auction was the most successful to date," _he announced merrily. "_We made four times as much as last month because of the new buyers. Several even bought in bulk."_ Everyone nodded proudly and clinked their glasses.

"_That is fantastic! The boys will be glad to hear."_

"_The dinner party coming up on Saturday led me to think… What if we started opening work houses for the unsold? We can offer an hourly rate rather than a purchase fee. I am sick of having to sell them for so cheap after the auctions; this way, we still make the same, if not more, money off them. This will also open our market to those who aren't willing to commit full time to a pet," _Paul offered. He had been thinking about expanding the market for the past year, but had never had the resources to do so. Having to continue to feed the leftovers became rather expensive when they remained unsold for long periods of time.

"_Like a brothel, then?" _

"_Exactly! We can use one of the manors out here and rotate the boys so the buyers feel they have more options. I was eyeing the traditional build to the East, the one that hasn't been sold in nearly two decades." _

_ "We will want it to be somewhere accessible to the public, but private as well,"_ one explained. "_What about the modern up north? We won't have to do any renovations…" _

"_It's a thought,"_ Paul replied, rolling ideas around in his head.

"_How is your new pet coming along?"_ the man furthest to the right asked.

"_I am still trying to figure out what his previous owner did with him,"_ Paul replied.

"_To be honest, I was rather surprised that you bought one so…used…"_

_ "I don't care about that… I'm sure he is a virgin. See, I've been searching for a pet with a personality, something that could really put up a fight and make me work for it. Something with fire," _he explained, "_I don't want one that will just cower and lie there_." He found difficulty in explaining his viewpoint to his associates since they were all married with children. They didn't quite understand the novelty of a pet, and they certainly weren't of the same persuasion as him. However, they never judged considering that they were so heavily involved in the business. "_He still remains very guarded as of now, so I am giving him his space." _

_ "Giving him space? Why not just break him in quickly and get it over with?" _

_ "All pets need time to acclimate to a new environment," _Paul stated, smirking. He would give him time to get used to the new house before he began making advances. This way, he wouldn't have to overcome two resistances. He was determined to win him over, even if it took a year. Over time, the boy would come to accept it and eventually, he would seek it out. Everyone had their breaking point, he was sure that he could find the boy's.

…

Robin paced along his room, looking at the collar on the floor. How absolutely demeaning it was that he needed a tag to identify his _owner._ It was revolting, the whole situation. Every time he would see Paul, he could feel the man looking him over. It wasn't sexualized, but rather more of an analytical gaze. Even so, it made Robin's skin crawl. He knew that Paul was giving him time before trying anything, but how much time would he get? Slade's plan had to be good, because otherwise, he would kill the man the next time he saw him.

He wondered how long he had before Slade came for him, assuming he would come for him. Paul wouldn't wait forever and killing him would probably make things more complicated than they already were. Either way, he was not going to give in. Even the small gestures, like placing his hand on his shoulder made him angry. He knew that one day, those small touches would turn to something much fouler.

…

Slade stood in Robin's old bedroom, looking down at the suitcase he threw on the bed. He walked to the closet, grabbing Robin's uniform and throwing it in the bag, along with his boots and belts. Stopping, he pulled the small steel ball out of the belt, looking it over and scoffing. He shoved it back in, throwing the bag over his shoulder and walking out. The doors slid open to the stock room and Slade grabbed Robin's bo-staff and knives, along with a gun customized for him. All of them went into the bag with his clothes.

Slade sighed, walking out of the room and into the garage. He turned on the lights and walked over to Robin's bike, grabbing a tarp and covering it. He then threw the bag into the corner and walked out without a second glance.

-New York-

Maeve picked toys up off the ground, grunting at the pain in her back as she bent over. She followed the trail of blocks that lead down the hall.

"You know you two aren't allowed to play in dad's office!" she shouted down the hall. The shout was promptly followed by the sounds of children scuttling away, causing her to laugh. She opened the door and walked in, picking up the blocks and dropping them in the basket. Deciding to clean while she was in there, she started organizing the mess that was Clark's desk. Papers were everywhere in an unorganized cluster. Not wanting to disturb his thought process, she tidied up around the edges, stopping when she found a plane ticket to Paris. Dropping the basket on the floor, she stormed out to the backyard where Clark was pulling weeds. He looked up, smiling at her.

"What the fuck is this?!" she asked, holding the one way ticket up. The smile faded off his face and he stood up.

"I was going to tell you," he whispered.

"When, Clark? Because the flight leaves tomorrow!"

"I was going to leave a note and some money…" he admitted. "It would be enough to keep you and the kids going for the next three months until I came back."

"You think we are going to wait around for three months for you? Don't even tell me it is about that stupid kid." Clark looked down and she scoffed. "Of course, you care more about him than you do your family! And why? I still don't understand why you care so much, Clark!"

"I have to make him pay, Maeve," he answered.

"For what?! I know you have some weird vendetta against him, but you only lost your job because you went after him! Getting revenge won't get your job back!" she shouted, her voice cracking and tears streaming down her face.

"It's not like that…" he began. "I have to do this for Mara." Maeve looked up to the sky, making a throaty laugh that turned into a sob.

"What the fuck does he have to do with Mara? You think leaving her without a father is what's best for her?" Clark sighed, walking up to his wife and grabbing her hands. She promptly jerked back, stepping away.

"I need to tell you something," he said. She eyed him suspiciously, thinking that he would just make up an excuse. He offered her a seat on the patio, but she remained standing with her arms crossed.

"What? What is it that you have to tell me?" she asked, her voice irritated. "I swear to God, Clark, if you get on that fucking plane, you won't have a family when you come back."

"I didn't want to tell you this, but it seems I am going to have to." She raised her eyebrows, preparing for the worst. "What happened with Mara…wasn't an accident…" he said slowly.

"What do you mean? Of course it was an accident," she replied resolutely.

"It was meant to look like an accident," he stated. "But it wasn't."

"So you are saying that this kid did this to her? How do you even know?!" she asked angrily.

"I just know. You need to trust me." Maeve shoved her face into her hands, tears streaming down steadily. She shook her head disbelievingly. "Honey, I have to make this right. He has to pay for what he did to our daughter." He pulled her into a hug.

"What are you going to do?" she asked into his shoulder. Clark paused.

"I'll be back soon, I promise." She looked up at him, her expression conflicted. "Then we can be like we were, I'll get a job and everything will go back to normal." She buried her face in his chest, trying desperately to believe that that was true. For too long now, it felt like she would never get her life back. Even if Clark did come back, there was no guarantee that things would go back to normal. Revenge never solved anything and it certainly never allowed anyone to let go of the pain. The only way he could ever truly get over this was if he forgave him, and she knew that Clark would never do that.

-Paris-

The Titans landed in Paris in the early morning of Friday and had went directly to sleep, waking up several hours later to begin their planning. Beast Boy told them where Vince's credit card had been used, so they decided to go and see if he was staying in the same hotel. Unfortunately, he was holed up inside, so they waited outside in the rental car until he came out.

"What do you want to do when we find him?" Cyborg asked, breaking the silence in the car. None of them wanted to really discuss it, but a plan was necessary.

"Well, I was thinking that we should just try to sedate him… Talking him down didn't work last time, so our best bet is kidnapping him," Beast Boy explained. It was the best plan he had.

"Kay, say we do that, then what do we do with him?"

"We can worry about that after we actually capture him… It'll be much more difficult than it sounds, so we should focus on that. But, I was thinking that we can just keep him restrained until we get through to him…" Cyborg sighed at the terrible idea. Assuming that they could keep Robin from escaping, imprisonment would probably just make everything worse. He didn't see that helping whatsoever.

"We will come up with an idea later," Cyborg affirmed. Beast Boy looked over to him, changing the subject abruptly.

"What were you doing in Boston, Cy?" Cyborg groaned at the question. He was sick of Beast Boy constantly asking.

"I told you that I'll tell ya later! Cut it, BB!"

"I just don't understand why you faked your death, man…" Tension built up in the car and Starfire leaned forward.

"Friends, let us not fight! We are together again!" she exclaimed.

"We're not fighting, Star," Beast Boy replied in a defeated tone. "I just want to know why Cyborg would pretend to die…"

"I swear, BB, if you don't cut it out-"

"Hey! Is that not the man?" Starfire shouted out, interrupting the fight. Both boys turned to look where she was pointing and found Vince walking out of the hotel and getting into a car.

"Good eye, Star!" Cyborg said, starting the car and following him. He led them a half hour northeast to a shopping mall. Once he walked in, the three got out of the car, Beast Boy wearing a low hoodie, Cyborg wearing his ring, and Starfire a long jacket to cover her skin. They stalked a distance behind him, nearly losing him in the crowd several times. He stopped in a food court, sitting down at a table and looking around at the crowd.

"Let's go stand in that line for food," Beast Boy suggested.

"Really, you are hungry now?" Cyborg chastised.

"No, well yeah, but I meant to blend in." Cyborg nodded and they went and joined the longest line, looking over towards Vince casually. "Just try to see what he is looking at." After a few minutes, Vince started to glance towards a store, staring at it for extended periods of time when he was sure no one was looking at him. The three started to observe the same shop, moving once they had hit the front of the line.

"What do you think he's looking at?" Cyborg asked.

"Is it the store for the shoes?" Starfire suggested.

"No, I think it's the tailor," Beast Boy said, moving closer. They walked past Vince carefully and settled on a bench near the store, watching it out of the corner of their eyes. "Maybe he is just being a werido."

"I do not see anything," Starfire admitted. They remained silent for the next ten minutes, each becoming restless as Vince continued to stay seated, supposedly looking at nothing.

"Hey, is that him?" Beast Boy asked excitedly, hitting Cyborg in the arm to get his attention. Both he and Starfire turned to look, freezing when they saw the young man walking out of the store. He was wearing nicely fitted jeans and a button down shirt and his hair was combed back. For a moment, they almost didn't recognize him. They hadn't seen him in anything but a uniform in all the time that they knew him, not to mention the absence of a mask was off-putting. He also looked older and more war-torn.

"I think it's him. It looks like him…" Cyborg whispered. The young man glanced around and they turned their faces away, not wanting him to spot them. After a few moments Beast Boy and Cyborg looked back over, but Starfire kept looking down at her lap, breathing heavily.

"He looks so…weird…" Beast Boy commented. He couldn't really see his eyes from their viewpoint, but he knew they were exposed. "Where's Slade? Is Robin on a mission now?" A man walked out of the store with a long suit bag over his arm. He put his hand on Robin's shoulder and Robin turned to face him. Beast Boy furrowed his brow; he had never seen Slade without a mask before. He was a lot younger than Beast Boy had anticipated.

"You think that is-?" Cyborg began.

"It's gotta be," Beast Boy replied. The man said something to Robin, trailing his hand down Robin's arm as he did so. Both Cyborg and Beast Boy tilted their heads, confused. Robin took a step back and turned around, walking forward. The man quickly followed behind him, placing his hand on the small of Robin's back for a moment before walking beside him.

Beast Boy and Cyborg remained silent and Starfire looked up, having missed the whole thing, but sensing that something was off. Beast Boy opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn't know what to say about what he had just seen. He didn't even know what to think about what he had just seen. Without a word, Beast Boy and Cyborg stood up and began following the two.

"What is the matter?" Starfire asked, catching up to them. "What did you see?" Both just shook their heads, continuing on until they got out of the mall and into the car. They would follow the two until they found their base.

…

Robin's adjusted his bow-tie, trying to make it even. He had never worn one, so he wasn't quite sure how to do it. It was the day of the party and he only had another half hour to finish getting dressed before the guests arrived. He didn't really know what to expect besides a bunch of old perverts gathering to congratulate each other on their success in selling humans. And he had to stand around and listen to it all while they looked at him like a lesser. He seriously considered trying to massacre the entire party, but he had no weapons and at his current level of strength, taking out an entire room of people with kitchen knives didn't seem feasible.

He heard a knock at the door and paused before opening it. Paul stood in the doorway, admiring the suit before walking in. Immediately, he undid the bowtie and started fresh. Robin stood there, looking off to the side as he tightened it.

"That's better," Paul commented. He himself was wearing an equally nice suit with a green shirt. "Where's your collar?" Robin's lip curled back and he looked over to the strip of leather sitting on the ground near the chaise. Paul walked over and picked it up slowly, strolling back and standing uncomfortably close to Robin. He pulled the shirt down on Robin's neck and wrapped the collar around him, hooking it and turning it around to face the front. Robin took a deep breath and looked the man in the eyes.

Paul pulled his shirt back up and lifted the tag out in front of it so that it would fall just above his bow-tie in plain sight. He stopped and admired it, meeting Robin's gaze after a few moments and smiling. He cupped Robin's chin, holding his face in place delicately.

"You would have such pretty eyes if they weren't so empty," he commented, trailing his thumb along Robin's chin. Paul let go and Robin turned away, sitting down to put his shoes on. "Be down in the great room in twenty minutes, and be polite, it is a party after all." Paul let himself out and Robin tied his shoes harshly, pulling the laces harder than was necessary. He stood up and looked at the finished product in the mirror, touching the tag and looking at the nicely tailored suit. He took a deep breath and sighed, walking to the door and preparing for what was to come.

* * *

Things are going to be happening soon!


	31. Home of the Lost Boys

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

My proposal is submitted and now I wait, which means time to write. These next few chapters are taking me a tremendous time to plan and write since there is a lot going on at once, so don't expect an immediate update after this. I have started 32, but it is likely that it will be 3 to 4 weeks until it is ready.

Also, thank you all so much for your unending support! I can't believe that we have made it to 150 reviews! Never thought I would see the day, and it is all thanks to you wonderful people.

So, enjoy the chapter and feel free to hypothesize about the next few chapters. Reviews are always welcome, especially the theory based kind.

* * *

"Just get in, find Robin and learn the layout, then get out," Cyborg explained. The three were in a parked car across the street from a large gated home, having come back again after following Robin there yesterday.

"I got it," Beast Boy confirmed. He hopped out of the car and shut the door, stalking along the edges of the fence. Cyborg drove off, parking further away so as to not draw suspicion. Beast Boy continued, transforming into a bird once he reached the gates. He followed the winding path, landing on a branch once he reached the manor. The sheer size and style of the house surprised him; this wasn't a typical base that they would use. He wondered who it had belonged to before they came along.

After circling the house three times, he concluded that there would be no way in until someone opened a door. Since it was nearing winter, no windows in the house were open, so he parked himself outside the front and waited. Within a few minutes a car drove up the road, stopping in front of the house. A man came outside, assisting the visitors out of the car and guiding them into the house. Taking the opportunity without question, Beast Boy transformed into a fly and followed them in through the door. As soon as he was in, he was met by the sight of Slade, standing in a suit and greeting the guests.

"Bonjour! Ca va?" the man asked. Beast Boy mentally cursed at the sound of French. He was really hoping to understand what was going on. The guests began chatting merrily, one woman wandering off and admiring the paintings around the room. Soon after, the door opened again and another group of people wandered in. Knowing that Cyborg would probably be angry, Beast Boy decided to stay and see what was happening. Hopefully he would be able to find out what was going on despite the foreign language.

…

Robin heard voices carrying faintly down the halls. Guests had begun arriving, which meant that he had to be downstairs ten minutes ago. Clenching his fists, he opened the door and walked down the hallway, trying to fake a pleasant smile. He approached the stairwell, promptly being ushered down by Paul.

"_This is Jean,"_ he announced, pushing Robin forward by the small of his back. Several men nodded at him in response and one woman greeted him. He could feel them looking down upon him, like a lesser. Even the woman did so, despite being kinder to him than the others. Robin turned to Paul, ignoring the guests and addressing him.

"_Can I go get some hors d'oeuvres?"_ he asked. Paul smiled and nodded, letting Robin go and continuing to greet his guests. Robin wandered into the kitchen, grabbing some food off of a plate and looking around. He wanted to avoid the great room as much as possible, but he also didn't want to provoke Paul. Upon seeing him, the butler shooed him out, insisting that it was improper to be in the kitchen during a party.

For the next half hour, he was paraded around the room and introduced to every guest that was in sight. Some spoke to him and some refused to acknowledge his presence beyond the point of a respectful nod. If he didn't belong to Paul, he doubted that half of them would even look at him. To them, he was a piece of property that was to be seen, but not heard from. Within the hour, the downpour of arriving guests had ceased and the room was full. Servants weaved through the crowd, offering up expensive food and champagne on plates. Robin felt the temptation to grab a glass, but remembering his promise, decided against it.

"_Hello, might I ask you a question?" _a man asked, stopping to face Robin.

"_I don't see why not." _He gazed at the man expectantly, surprised that anyone was saying anything beyond small talk to him. He preferred the small talk, at least it ended quickly.

"_You were acquired in one of Oriole's auctions, no?" _

"_Yes,"_ Robin replied. He glanced around at the others, seeing a few faces listening in.

"_How are the conditions? For the boys?" _He sounded earnest, as if he hoped that they were favorable. Robin hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"…_Not preferable…" _he answered, hearing the silence from the guests around them.

"_Ah, I see,"_ the man sighed. "_Well, at least you are here now." _He looked around at the beautiful house, somehow thinking that that would make everything okay.

"_I suppose the others weren't so lucky," _Robin commented darkly. The man looked taken aback. He had expected Robin to just agree or go on about how fortunate he was to have Paul as a master. Robin looked around at those listening in, hearing their disapproving whispers. Unable to take it any longer, he bid the man goodbye and walked away. He made his way to the adjacent living room, stopping when he heard footsteps behind him.

"_You know, this dinner party is supposed to attract new buyers into our business," _Paul stated, speaking French to Robin for the first time since they got here.

"_Yes, I figured," _Robin replied, backing up as Paul approached him.

"_Then I find it rather odd that you find it appropriate to criticize our organization in front of potential partners,"_ he said, his voice eerily calm. He continued to encroach on Robin, backing him straight into a wall. Robin hit the edge of a fireplace, stopping when he had nowhere else to go. Paul walked forward, blocking him from maneuvering from the corner. "_You should really be more respectful considering all that I am giving you." _Robin narrowed his eyes, contorting his body to get as far away from the man as possible.

"_I meant no offense, I wasn't thinking," _Robin lied, feigning apology. Paul chuckled, pinning one of Robin's arms to the wall and grabbing his face with the other hand. Robin's arm twitched in reflex, but he stopped himself from using a defensive attack. Now was not the time nor the place to kill Paul.

"_I chose to allow you freedom, to let you have a presence in this house. However, if you cannot behave appropriately, policy can change. I can keep you locked in your room until I require your services. Most masters break their pets in quickly, which can be painful for the pet, but I do suppose that it is easier. Would you prefer this instead?" _He was leaning menacingly over Robin, rubbing his thumb up and down his cheek. Robin pulled his face away, looking to the side, and stared intently at a fly on the mantle.

"_No,"_ he growled. Paul lingered, letting his hand trace Robin's arm.

"_Then behave like a good pet should," _he commanded. Robin nodded and Paul backed off, letting go of his wrist. "_Now go back out there, put on a happy face, and sell our business." _Robin walked out without replying, ignoring the footsteps behind him. Dozens of voices were mingling together in the great room and servants were still weaving their way in and out of the crowd. Robin stopped one that was near him, grabbing a glass off of the tray and downing the drink within a few seconds. He then proceeded to smile and greet people as he made his way through the room.

…

"Man is it good to see you!" Vince exclaimed, pulling Clark into a short hug. "It's been difficult out here all alone."

"Sorry it took me so long. I missed my flight and things with Maeve… well, let's not talk about that right now," Clark replied.

"Is everything all right with you two?" Clark just shook his head in response and Vince knew not to push the matter further.

"Tell me, what do you got?" Clark sat down and Vince followed, getting right down to business.

"As I said before, I have been tailing him, but we have a complication."

"What?" Clark asked worriedly. Vince slid a few pictures over to him.

"I took these at the mall the other day," Vince explained. Clark looked at the photos, not seeing the problem. Vince pointed towards the man in the picture. "That's not who he was with before." Clark furrowed his brow.

"He has a new partner?"

"I don't know, I finally got a fair look at him before he went missing for a few weeks. When I found him again, he was with this man." Clark nodded. "There is a major problem with that. This is Paul Oriole, someone you don't want to cross."

"Is he a partner or is Robin just working for him?"

"I honestly don't know… Watching them together, I was kind of confused." He didn't want to elaborate any further. Clark brushed his curiosity off for now and studied the information on Paul. In his opinion, it wouldn't be the worst thing if the man happened to get caught in the crossfire. "There is an event of some sorts going on tonight at their house. I tried to get in, but I couldn't manage an invite."

"Did you want to go anyways?"

"No, I feel that even being near it is too much of a risk. We already know how dangerous Robin can be, we don't need to see their forces combined."

"It says here that Paul traffics people? What would Robin be doing with him?" Clark posed.

"I've been trying to figure that out and I only came up with three possibilities. Option one has Robin running security for him since he is so high profile. However, I don't feel like that is something that he would do considering his position… Option two, he could be in on the business and/or fulfilling a contract for the man. Once again, that just is not something I see Robin doing. Given that the last two aren't very valid, there is really only one option left. Takeover."

"Again?" Clark asked, receiving a nod from Vince.

"I think he is getting close to Paul so that he can take his position."

"Makes sense, but he can't be going at this alone… Have you seen who he has been working with the whole time?"

"Unfortunately, no. It took nearly two months for the kid to actually come outside, and when he did, he was alone. I followed him to the airport a few times, but lost track of him when he got in a car with someone." Clark sighed, he had hoped for more than this. He had a feeling that whoever Robin was working under was far more dangerous than the kid himself, despite his famed assassin skills.

"You said you wanted an invite to this event? But you couldn't manage?" Clark asked, deciding to see if there was anything that could be done there.

"It's some kind of dinner party for potential partners. Since I am not a man of great means, I couldn't convince anyone that I was worth the invite," Vince explained. "It appears that he only considers working with those who can offer up a fat check."

"Okay, so we will need to get to Robin some other way… If we could separate them…" Clark mused. He hadn't expected this complication. The plan was simple, find and restrain Robin, then make him pay. Clark almost felt bad, keeping his agenda hidden from Vince, but he couldn't risk it. The man knew the reasons, he was just in the dark about the repercussions.

"I was thinking we could go to an auction, since those are more lax. I have heard rumors of an upcoming celebration that would be the perfect opportunity…" Vince suggested, keeping his tone calm and even. He would take this slowly, make sure everything went according to plan.

…

Robin found himself sitting in a chair before long, keeping to the outskirts of the room. The party had become tedious and he just wanted it to be over, but he knew that he had a long way to go. He needed to plan his next move, but that required taking some creative freedom that he was certain Slade wouldn't approve of. It wasn't like the man was here to instruct him anyways. He would have to come up with something on his own… and soon.

"_Ah! Everyone, please listen up!" _a voice sounded through the room. Immediately the chatter died down and everyone turned to look at Paul. Robin looked up, swatting at a fly that was buzzing near his head. Eventually it settled on the chair and Robin let it be, his body tensing and his back straightening as he looked at Paul. "_I would like to introduce you all to the guest of honor for tonight!"_ he announced, proudly displaying said guest. "_It is thanks to this man that we now have the necessary resources for expanding our empire!"_ The man bowed his head slightly, appearing humbled by the compliment. Robin's jaw clenched and he stood up.

"_It is nothing really. When I see a successful business opportunity, I naturally aim to support it,"_ the man replied. Robin put his glass on the chair, drawing the attention of his owner. Paul immediately motioned for him to come forward and Robin hesitated before following his order.

"Jean," Paul began, switching to English, "This is Mr. Benjamin Wilson." Robin stood in front of the two, nodding at the man. Paul pulled Robin closer to himself and whispered in his ear. "Be friendly to this man or you won't see the light of day again," he hissed, his voice barely audible. Robin nodded as if Paul had just told him a passing thought.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wilson," Robin greeted, holding his hand out. The man shook it and Paul appeared pleased at their friendly introduction.

"Well, now that introductions have been made, I believe that dinner is ready to be served," Paul announced before raising his voice and repeating himself in French for his other guests.

They all began to file into the large dining room, equipped with two long tables that accounted for the overflow of guests. People began taking their seats, seeing the name cards placed in front of them. Robin followed Paul, sitting to the right of him and across from Mr. Wilson. Naturally, Robin shot the man an angry look when Paul wasn't looking, but he kept the glances to a minimum. He knew the reason he was here and he was very grateful.

"_We will begin with an appetizer, so feel free to chat amongst yourselves and enjoy!"_ Servants began handing out dishes adorned with rather beautiful salads and soup. The room soon filled with voices and laughter and Robin found himself deeply engulfed in his meal, having nothing else to do. Paul talked eagerly with several people near him at the table, but his honored guest remained silent aside from a few passing remarks.

The dinner continued on without any hitches and Robin found himself staring at the man across from him slightly too long.

"_It seems my pet has taken an interest in you," _Paul commented amusedly, a sharp edge behind the statement. Robin snapped out of his daze and quickly turned away.

"_I believe he is simply fascinated by my eyepatch,"_ the man replied, making nothing out of it.

"_I apologize for his brazen disregard of social etiquette. He is rather new and doesn't know better," _Paul explained, apologizing for Robin's behavior.

"_It is nothing." _Robin asked to be excused and Paul agreed, telling him to go and sit in the lounge. Not knowing the reason behind the request, Robin went and found himself a comfortable seat. The room had a large bar against the wall, decorated with many expensive and vintage spirits. The entire room was decorated to appear vintage, with red walls and Victorian furniture. It truly was the classy version of a man cave.

After about forty five minutes, Robin was joined by Paul and several of his guests. He was made to move once the guests decided that they wanted to sit on the couch that he had been on. Paul beckoned him over, having him take his place next to the man. Robin regarded the four men across from him, spiteful that they deemed him to not be equal enough to sit on the same couch. He found himself caring less and eventually slipped back into his comatose state.

"_Gentlemen, I would like to thank you for your immense support. Therefore, I feel that it is only necessary that I bring you up to speed with our plans for your funding."_ Robin leaned back and closed his eyes, listening intently and pretending to be bored. "_We have recently purchased a manor not too far from our auction site. Renovations have begun immediately and we expect to move the boys in within the next few weeks. Naturally, we plan to have a grand opening to celebrate. I would consider it a pleasure to have each of you attend as guests of honor." _Everyone in the room nodded in appreciation.

"_Do you have an estimated date of completion?" _

_ "My rough estimate is the Tuesday two weeks from now. You will all of course be sent personal invitations stating the address and date once we are certain." _Paul smiled and reached over to Robin, placing his hand on the boy's knee and squeezing it. Robin's eyes shot open and he glanced at Paul, unable to hide his sudden startle. He quickly regained composure and leaned back, keeping his eyes open and glaring at the men across from him. A few of them chuckled at Robin's reaction, but stopped once he gave them a truly chilling look.

"_If you will excuse me, I would like to find the restroom,"_ Wilson said, walking out of the room after being instructed where to go. Robin's eyes followed the man out and he turned to his owner.

"_May I go now?" _he asked, trying to make his voice as nice as possible.

"_I'm afraid not,"_ Paul answered, tightening his hand on Robin's knee. Robin sunk back, deciding that now was not the time. Before long, Wilson came back and bid them all goodbye, leaving a slightly confused Robin in the wake. The last of the guests followed and Paul shut the door behind them, turning to face his pet.

"_Can I go to bed?" _Robin asked, thinking that it was enough that he was asking in the first place. Paul tilted his head, looking puzzled, and walked up to the boy, grabbing him by both arms and pulling him in. Once again, Robin's instincts told him to snap the man's neck, but he held back, at least for now. If he tried anything though, Robin couldn't make any guarantees.

"_You did not behave very well today, but considering that this is your first week, I will let it slide."_ He pulled Robin closer, wrapping his arm around his waist to hold him in place. Robin was so close to the man that it made him truly uncomfortable. He felt a surge of anger comparable to the first few months of his captivity with Slade, which was something considering that he truly believed himself incapable of feeling any emotion. "_I can see how much my touches make you squirm. You must get used to them before long, because they will be all you know. It will be easier to accept them as they come." _Robin began to pull away, but Paul gripped him tighter. "_I will not force you, but that does not mean that it will not happen one day." _

"_May I go to bed, master?"_ Robin asked, adding on the last part in an attempt to sate the man. Paul smiled and let go, motioning for the staircase.

"_That won't always work, Jean. Also, cut the French, we are alone now." _Robin nodded and began ascending the staircase. Paul walked back into the lounge, deciding to have one more drink before getting to work. Robin made his way to his room, cringing at the thought of today. He way preferred his miserable existence with Slade to this. If he had any humor left in his body, he would laugh at the fact that he actually preferred Slade to something.

He closed the door behind him, undressing immediately. Wearing a suit was getting tiring and he found himself missing the comfort of his uniform. He dropped his shirt and started pulling off his pants, throwing them on the floor near the armoire. After pulling a pair of pajama bottoms on, he walked over to the dresser, picking his pants up from the ground and jamming them in with his other clothes. Something caught his eye and he pulled a large duffle bag out of the dresser. Inside was his uniform, belt, boots, weapons, and a note. Despite being grateful that he finally had a way out, he was miffed that Slade couldn't talk to him in person.

_Don't make any moves yet. Gather as much information on Paul as you can. I am working on building my rapport with him, but it may take a few weeks. Try to keep him happy and avoid killing him if at all possible. I will let you know when to move, but for now, maintain your position._

_PS. Try not to look so miserable around him. He notices._

_-Your true master_

Robin huffed, throwing the paper back in his bag. Figures Slade wanted him to stay for information. It actually wasn't a bad idea, planting Robin in with the boss himself. It certainly wasn't anything that they had planned for, but naturally Slade would take the opportunity. Nevertheless, Robin was spiteful that he had not followed through on his promise to buy him back. He could be counted on keeping his word, unless it somehow did not benefit him or his mission.

…

Starfire leaned against the window, tapping her fingers on the edge of the door with a bored expression on her face. She was soon startled back to life as the door flung open and Beast Boy jumped in. He was out of breath and quickly motioned for Cyborg to drive forward as he buckled up.

"There was a party," Beast Boy exhaled, feeling that he needed to explain why he stayed hours longer than planned.

"I guessed," Cyborg replied. Dozens of cars had driven past him, each turning into the manor. There was only one natural explanation. "So, what happened? Did you find him and Slade?" Beast Boy paled a little at the comment, but replied nonetheless.

"It is definitely Robin." There was no doubt about that. Despite the many changes to Robin's demeanor, he still retained many of the same mannerisms when he moved. "The whole party was in French though, except one part. One guest spoke English with Robin and… Well, I-," he cut off.

"What?" Cyborg asked.

"I'm just confused. I thought that the man we saw Robin with was Slade, but I'm not so sure. Everyone at the party kept calling him Paul, at least I think…" He kept hearing the name through all the French.

"Isn't it possible that it is the fake name?" Starfire suggested.

"That's what I was thinking since Robin goes by Jean, but there are other reasons why I think it isn't Slade." Cyborg urged him to continue. "Something just seems off… He acts really weird around Robin and Robin acts weird around him. Cy, remember at the mall?" he asked and Cyborg nodded curtly. "Well, it kind of happened again. He backed Robin into the fireplace and scolded him or something, but it was weird. He just wasn't acting right." Beast Boy didn't want to explain in detail what he had seen. He decided against mentioning the leg rub. "Robin seemed to be comfortable around Slade before, judging by New York, but he seemed really uncomfortable this time."

"Well, if it isn't Slade, then what happened?" Cyborg asked. He doubted that the two would separate unless something major happened.

"I have no idea man, but I think we should keep doing this until I find something. At least then we can keep an eye on Robin, see if he goes anywhere," Beast Boy suggested.

"You want to come back every day?" Cyborg asked. Beast Boy shook his head in return.

"No, that would be a waste of all of our time… I was thinking that I can just stay…" Both Starfire and Cyborg gave him an odd look. "You guys can work on finding out who this guy is and forming a plan and I can just hang around and wait for something to happen."

"But how will we know when to come and retrieve you?" Starfire asked. Beast Boy paused, thinking.

"We can leave a communicator in a tree and when I need you, I can just go outside and call." Cyborg sighed, this sounded very dangerous. How would he be able to contact them if there was an emergency and he couldn't get to the communicator?

"I don't know, BB, this isn't a very solid plan," Cyborg sighed. Beast Boy nodded in agreement, but it was the only plan he had.

"We can't let him slip through our fingers this time," Beast Boy reasoned.

"So, you want to go back now?"

"No! We can come back tomorrow or Monday, I need time to prepare," Beast Boy answered. "Living as a fly for a while won't be fun." Cyborg was glad that Beast Boy at least gave him some time to try to come up with a better plan. Hopefully he would have one by Monday.

"And what would we be the doing?" Starfire asked.

"Thinking of a plan…" Beast Boy guessed.

-Gotham-

"Master Bruce, I apologize for the interruption, but you have a visitor," Alfred said, standing in the doorway of the office. Bruce looked up at him, rather annoyed. He had too much work to do right now and was in no mood for any visitors.

"Can you tell them to come back tomorrow, during the day?" he asked, meaning it as more of a command than a suggestion.

"I'm afraid that you may want to see this particular visitor right away," Alfred warned. Bruce furrowed his brow, standing up and leaving his work behind with a sigh. He made his way to the entryway, stopping in place when he saw his guest. With a wave of understanding, he nodded at Alfred and made his way down the stairs, preparing for what this visit entailed.

-Paris: Two Days Later-

Cyborg sighed as Beast Boy got out of the car, communicator in hand. He didn't like this plan, too many things could go wrong. However, Beast Boy insisted that he do this, so Cyborg went along with it. They had already established rules as well. Beast Boy had to check in every night at eight in the evening, or else they would come for him. They also agreed that he would get a rest day every Wednesday where he would meet up with them as a human. This way, they could get more info and allow Beast Boy a break. Cyborg found himself missing the tactical planning of his other team. At least they only acted when they were completely certain about what they were doing.

Beast Boy gave them a smile of encouragement and shut the door, flying off with the communicator in his talon. Soon, his teammates drove off to work on their tasks and he was left alone. At least until Wednesday. He placed the communicator in the crevice of the tallest tree, making sure that it wouldn't fall or get wet. He then waited at the door until someone opened it.

The next few days went by very slowly, leaving Beast Boy exhausted from the constant sitting and waiting. So far, the only things that he had seen were Robin and _Slade's_ daily routine. He still had his doubts about the man, especially since Robin still called him Paul when they were alone. At least they spoke English, which didn't help much since the only time they talked was during dinner. He wasn't particularly fond of their small talk, or Paul's probing questions. What had finally set the nail in the coffin was when _Paul_ had asked Robin about his previous owner. Beast Boy knew that he must have been referring to Slade, which meant that somehow Robin had escaped his grasp.

That night, he eagerly relayed the information to his teammates, forcing them to change their newly formed plans. None of them had accounted for the possibility that Robin might not be working for Slade anymore. After that, Beast Boy did his best to figure out who Robin was working with. Cyborg had told him that the property belonged to a Paul Oriole, but there was little on him except that he ran a rather prominent human trafficking business. He had no idea why Robin would be with this man.

As the days dragged on and Wednesday passed, he found himself trying to figure out what had happened with Slade, just to kill the time. He knew that Robin was supposedly loyal, so he didn't see him killing the man. He also didn't see Slade just letting him go. All he could think of was that this was a mission of some sort and that Slade was still behind it. But where was he?

The obvious attempts of physical affection on Paul's part began to deeply disturb Beast Boy. Robin never fought them off, but just stood there, completely silent and complacent. He hadn't done anything serious yet, which Beast Boy was grateful for, but it nonetheless made him queasy. Robin must really want something if he was willing to let this man paw all over him. Beast Boy wondered if Robin had somehow gotten himself into the human trafficking, but pushed the thought aside. He didn't want to go near that idea. However, Paul mostly referred to him as pet, making him think that Paul had in fact bought him. Despite everything that happened in New York, it still burned his blood to see someone mistreat Robin like that, especially in the way Paul did. Sure, he was kinder than Slade ever was in that he never beat and/or verbally abused Robin, but he was sadistic in other ways. He seemed to truly believe that Robin was a piece of property to be owned.

It was now approaching the second Wednesday and Beast Boy sighed internally at the thought of having been here for two weeks now. He had uncovered some valuable information though and he wasn't about to leave. His nightly trips to the communicator were his only sanctuary and he found himself enjoying being able to stretch out as an owl after relaying the information. There were a few times that he missed his time slot by nearly an hour, simply because he couldn't get outside. He eventually took it upon himself to leave whenever he got the opportunity, rather than waiting for eight to roll around.

…

Robin sat lazily on his chaise, having remained in his room after going to the gym. Whenever he went downstairs, he crossed paths with Paul, which was something he tried to avoid due to the man's increasingly sexual behavior. Luckily the man hadn't gone as far as trying to kiss him, but he was becoming bolder with where he touched Robin and how long he did so. Robin's fist nearly went through his face when the man groped his behind. He was not a sexual object to be played with, he was an assassin. Trained specifically to be the most deadly force in the world, specialized with many weapons and tactical skills. Yet, here he was, allowing this man to lust after him.

It was out of sheer will and numbness that he was able to follow Slade's orders. After the party, he found himself edging towards the bar and admiring a few of the finer liquors. There was a particularly beautiful bourbon that he had his eyes on, but he always managed to turn around before he poured a glass. He would find relief somewhere else, and it turned out that that somewhere was himself. There was irony in the fact that he was grateful for his inability to feel when just a few months ago he would have given anything for the opposite. Sure, he felt anger towards Paul, but he didn't dwell upon it. It was what it was.

A knock interrupted his peace and Paul walked in before Robin could say anything. Robin looked at him, waiting for the man to say what was on his mind.

"Jean, I would like you to get dressed and come with me," he ordered, his voice firm, but not threatening. He sounded like he had something exciting to announce. Robin immediately got up and pulled his nicer clothes out of the closet, being careful not to expose the bag sitting behind the hangers. "You will be accompanying me to the final inspection of our new building. I want you to see how things will be running." Robin nodded curtly and stepped into the bathroom, locking the door and changing. Paul was still there when he stepped out and he quickly approached him. He looked down at Robin's waist, clutching at his shirt and pulling it up. Robin lifted his arms, letting him do whatever he was planning to do. Paul let the shirt fall back down before stepping back. "Don't tuck in your shirts."

"Yes, sir," Robin replied, lowering his arms. He had honestly expected Paul to pull the entire thing off. What would happen after that, Robin didn't know. Paul's eyes fell on Robin's collar and he smirked, walking forward. Robin followed him down the staircase and out of the manor, sliding into the car next to him. The door shut behind him and before long, the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. The car ride wasn't too long, just under an hour, and Paul kept his hand on Robin's leg the entire time. He figured that by exposing Robin to unhostile touches for extended periods of time, he would desensitize him before building up to more bold moves. Gradual advancement was the way to prevent causing too much shock.

The car pulled up to another large manor after passing through solid gates and a security booth. This manor was clearly meant to be traditionally French themed. It was quite old had plentiful foliage growing around the house, giving it a whimsical look. Robin stepped out of the car after Paul opened his door and walked forward, stopping at the entryway. Paul swiped a card at the entrance and the door unlocked, allowing him in. Immediately, the two were greeted by a reception desk, surrounded by cushioned couches and chairs. The woman at the desk looked up and smiled.

"_Welcome back, sir," _she exclaimed, standing up. "_We are nearly complete now. Just doing some finishing touches." _Paul nodded and smiled at the woman, beckoning for her to lead the way. Two doors were across from each other, the desk centered between them. She took them through the door to the left, which lead into one half of the mansion. Robin presumed that he had literally built a wall to split the house into two, with the reception room being the only way between them.

They were led through a great room similar to Paul's own home and into a lounge, where they were met with the sight of several men laughing. Everyone stood up and greeted Paul, each giving a hasty nod to Robin. Knowing his place, he took a seat next to Paul, and was promptly met with a hand rubbing the inside of his leg.

"_How is it going?" _Paul asked, looking around at his associates. These were the men that helped him to build his empire, so naturally they were involved in the preliminary planning.

"_Excellent, we have just moved the boys in, making room for more auction newcomers."_

_ "You made sure to only bring the unsold ones here, no?"_ Paul clarified. This was a last resort for his boys.

"_Oh, yes. We made sure there was still plenty of new stock for the auctions. The boys are working on acquiring some more to fill the gaps in the room." _Paul nodded in response, pleased. "_We have also begun the testing stage, today actually. So far, things look good." _

"_Customers are pleased? Any changes that need addressing?" _

_ "Well, we had a crier earlier today, but the customer didn't seem to mind. He thought it was rather endearing. Nevertheless, the boy was dealt with. He won't be making that mistake again." _

_ "I see. Try to leave some criers for the customers who prefer that. Have you prepared the profiles yet?" _Paul asked, receiving a nod in response. "_Excellent, then the grand opening will be set for Friday. Make sure to send the invitations out tonight." _One of the men made a note, reminding himself to do so. Paul grabbed a drink from the table, toasting with his friends. After taking a sip, he offered a drink to Robin, but Robin declined.

The conversation continued on for a while like that, with everyone hammering out the details of the upcoming event and the brothel. Robin listened in for important information, but kept getting distracted when Paul's hand traveled up a little too far. The hour progressed and his hand got higher and higher as he drank more.

"_May I be excused? Restroom,"_ Robin asked, turning to Paul.

"_Actually yes, I would like to see how the rooms are coming along anyways. I can take you there," _Paul replied. Everyone stood up, leading the way to the staircase and down the main hallway. Paul kept his arm on Robin's hip and let him go when they arrived at the restroom. "_Meet us down the hall when you are finished." _Robin nodded and stepped into the bathroom. The inside was marble and there were benches to sit on. He made his way through quickly, stepping out into the hall when he was done.

He could see the men ahead of him and began walking in their direction. There were many smaller corridors connecting to the main one, each with several doors facing each other. Robin glanced down each as he passed, but stopped when he heard noise coming from one hallway. He looked ahead at his master, whose back was turned, and decided to at least check it out. The hallway was well lit and each door had a number on it. He heard a shout that was followed by silence and he stopped in place. After a few moments, one of the doors opened and a small figure stepped out.

Robin looked at the boy, taking it all in. The child could not have been older than eleven and was wearing a large tee shirt that hung down to his knees. He appeared to be extremely thin and his legs shook as he stood. The boy glanced at him, promptly looking down at his feet and walking forward. He refused to look at Robin as he passed, trying to get by him as quickly as possible. Robin turned around as the boy stumbled slightly and watched him catch the wall to keep his balance. The glint of something wet dripping down the boy's leg caught Robin's attention and his breath caught.

He turned around, approaching the door and looking in. Lying on a large bed in the center of the room was a man. He rested his head back on his hands and looked at the ceiling, a smug grin of contentment on his face. Robin's face retained its composure, but his fist clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He took a step forward, preparing to enter the room when he suddenly stopped himself. There would be no way to explain this man's death and he was certain the child would end up being the one to pay, so he stepped back, taking one last glance at the man before turning around.

He made his way back to his master, explaining the lengthy absence away with an upset stomach. Luckily the tour did not include any more viewings and they made their way back to the lobby. The men said their goodbyes and made their way back into the lounge while Robin and Paul went to the car. The entire car ride home was silent, save for one comment from Paul.

"That could have been your life if it weren't for me." Paul knew what he had seen.

…

Cyborg and Starfire sat outside the manor, staring at it intently and debating their next move.

"We must go and save him!" Starfire declared, preparing to jump out of the car. Cyborg's hand grasped her arm, preventing her from leaving.

"No, we might risk exposing him…" he reasoned. Beast Boy had missed his transmission by over an hour now and the two were worried. He very well knew that he may have not gotten an opportunity yet and that barging in would just endanger him further. The problem was figuring out how much longer they should wait. After another twenty minutes, Cyborg was instructing Starfire on how to peek inside without getting caught when Paul's car pulled up. Both stopped what they were doing to watch, wondering if Beast Boy had been with them the whole time.

Minutes later, a green bird swooped in and landed on the hood of the car. Cyborg quickly rolled down the window and let Beast Boy settle into the back seat.

"BB! You had us worried," Cyborg declared. "You were supposed to meet us early today."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, but I had to go somewhere with them," Beast Boy explained.

"What happened?" Cyborg asked, noting Beast Boy's pale face. Beast Boy shook his head in reply, trembling at the thought of having to relay what he saw. Just thinking about it made him nauseous.

"They-they went to some house…" Beast Boy explained. "Cyborg, what's the French word for Friday?" he asked.

"Er… Vendredi, I think," Cyborg replied. His French wasn't good, but it was enough to hear snippets of conversations. He spent some time trying to learn certain phrases since Beast Boy left.

"Yeah, so I think something is going on Friday. They kept saying that word and it sounded pretty important…"

"What else happened at the house?" Starfire asked.

"Cy, you know how you said that Paul sold people?" Cyborg nodded in return. "Well, you were right… I saw it…" He sighed in understanding. That was why Beast Boy seemed so sick. "I need to go back, but I want you guys to follow us to the house on Friday," he explained.

…

"You got in?" Clark asked.

"Yeah, I'm going as a customer. I'll need to collect a few things before Friday, but I should be set."

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

"No, you can follow me in a van, but he will most likely recognize you immediately. Stay outside until I need you." Clark could feel his stomach tighten at the thought of his upcoming retribution. This was what he had been waiting for for nearly a year now. Something inside of him felt hesitant, but he shoved that feeling down. He didn't need to have any doubt right now.

"What do you say we go and catch ourselves an assassin?"

* * *

Despite what the TV show indicates, I have made the assumption that Beast Boy cannot carry his communicator when he transforms. I just think it is kind of illogical and convenient, so I changed it for this chapter. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea, but I did it anyways...

PS. If you begin to see any plot holes in this chapter or the next few, please inform me. I am trying my best to make sure everything gets explained, but there is a lot to include. I can lose track sometimes.


	32. Infernus

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

What black magic is this? Another chapter is actually being published?  
Yes it is! Thanks to the combined efforts of Ravager17, sugarfreefox, and dlsky ...

Please take the time to read the author's note at the end. It is moderately important.

If you are curious as to why this chapter took four months to write, it is because I wrote it five times. Yes, five times, scrapping nearly one hundred pages. So, know that the delay is not due to laziness, but rather constant revision.

* * *

-Versailles: One Month Ago-

Four men, along with one woman, walked through an archway, each of their steps silent on the marble. They were greeted by a long table, seating thirteen others and headed by an older man whose face spoke immensely of the urgency of the matter. Each took their seat, somewhat focusing on the dancing light coming from the fireplace behind the man. Two seats remained empty and they immediately knew to whom they belonged to.

"_Rouergue, thank you for joining us_," the man said. One of the men bowed his head and the rest nodded in concurrence. The head of their family was a man of nearly fifty, but still youthful in appearance, meaning he would be the first to answer on their accord.

"_Where is the family of Villehardouin_?" he answered, looking the old man in the eye from across the table. Everyone else turned, also asking the question with their eyes.

"_Margaret and Nicholas may decide to appear tonight. However, I do believe that it is in our best interest to begin soon, as the night is not growing any younger."_ The head of every family nodded in agreement, none daring to disagree after being invited so cordially to a meeting that hasn't taken place in many years. It had been so long, in fact, that several of the members had never attended one before, but stood in their dead ancestors place.

It had been a tradition for hundreds of years for the noble families of France to gather together, represented by their highest ranking members, during times of need. Only during times of great turmoil, the so called 'council' was called into action, and whenever it was, every member knew immediate action was to be taken. Only once in the history of the council had it been dismissed without any action being decided upon. No one intended to make that twice today.

"_As there are new members, let me introduce myself,"_ the man at the head began. _"I am Frederic de Tour d'Augvergne, current head of the house." _He looked upon all the faces in the firelight, saddened by the need to see them, yet curious about the newest members. There were some occasions where he would cross paths with certain families, but not often enough to be familiar with the active members. It was almost surprising that younger members had been appointed considering that the council had been disbanded years ago.

"_I re-convened the council and invited you all here today because there is a poison in our land. For so long, we have stood back and watched as our beloved country has been turned into nothing more than a pit for the sins and filth of others. We have allowed men to make their way into the system and pollute all that we hold dear, but no longer. Now, we will stand together and dispose of this filth. We will burn their sins with fire and cleanse our home once and for all_."

A woman sitting to his left spoke up after he had finished his speech. She gracefully nodded at the aging man, bringing a smile to his face.

"_As my grandfather has said, we can tolerate this no longer. I am to be the head of Tour d'Augvergne soon and I will not take such a position in the current state. We built this country together, all of us, and it is a dishonor on our ancestors to let it come to such… obscenity…"_

"_Jerico of Tremoille_," one man introduced, standing up. "_You are referring to Oriole, are you not? And his sex trade?"_

"_Yes,"_ she confirmed. "_Yet, it is not only his sex trade that has us concerned. He has completely disregarded the laws and customs of our country and has ignored the advice of our families. There have been instances of him threatening the house of Villehardouin should they not comply with his business. They have been in hiding ever since, likely explaining their absence tonight_."

"_It is not the threats that have us concerned, it is the blatant disregard for simple humanity. How many children we have lost to this man is appalling_," another man added, before promptly announcing himself. "_Rochechouart, son of Edouard."_ Frederick stood up again, his legs shaking in the effort to support his weight. His granddaughter quickly pulled his arm in support.

"_He has been using deceptive means to acquire land and money and has only used those for destruction. However, he has great power and affluence. It worries me what might happen shall his empire be allowed to continue_."

"_What do you propose we do_?" He paused for a moment, carefully considering his words.

"_As a council, we try to do what is best for our people, whether they be our noble brethren, or the lower class. We go to great lengths to avoid massacre and devastation, but that is exactly what will happen if Oriole continues on his path. In order to avoid this desolate future, we must put an end to him, and everything he stands for."_

"_If we kill him, another will take his place, then another, and another,"_ a woman from the far end of the table pointed out. Frederick's face darkened as he had already thought of this, and came up with a solution.

"_Dear Abigail, that is why we need to destroy his entire empire, all at once."_ Several murmurs filled the room, varying from concerned to excited voices. "_You see, without anyone to take his place, his sickness will die with him."_

"_What about the kids_?"

"_I will do everything in my power to preserve them, but if a few must die for many more to live, then so be it."_ The group felt uneasy in general about having such little detail about his plans, but they all knew to trust the man. He had lead them through many other crises successfully. If they couldn't trust him to save their land, then they couldn't trust anyone.

-Paris: Present Day-

Heavy breaths echoed down the hallway, mixing with the sounds of frantic footsteps. There would be no forgiveness, no pity. If he was caught, it would be his end. Tears streamed down his face and he wiped them as he ran, not particularly knowing where he was going. There had to be a way out, somewhere other than the front door. They had been brought in somewhere, but he couldn't remember where.

He turned the corner, looking for anywhere where that he could hide. Eventually, he settled upon a broom closet and quickly nuzzled himself behind the cleaning supplies in the corner, crying and frantically trying to cover himself up. Before long, voices started to fill the hallway and shouts in a language he did not understand filled his ears. He quickly covered his mouth, forcing himself to be silent. The voices continued, occasionally fading away and regaining their volume. He was being searched for.

As they got nearer, he tried to back further into the corner and ended up hiding his sobs in a mop. Suddenly, they fell silent and his breath caught. He could swear that he heard his heart pounding and hoped that they couldn't. A shuffle of footsteps followed and he clutched himself. The door flung open and after a moment of searching, a pair of hands grabbed onto him, pulling him out from the safety of his corner. He began to scream, but it was no use, no one would listen to him. He tried to crawl back, kicking his legs as he did so, but the man latched onto them. With an unnecessary amount of force, he flipped the child over onto his stomach and began pulling him out.

He tried to grasp the door frame, but lost his grip. After a while, he resorted to digging his fingernails in the hardwood, leaving them broken and bloodied. Another man walked up and grabbed his arms, lifting him into the air. The two men then began walking down the hallway, carrying the flailing child in their hands and grunting in displeasure. No matter how hard he tried, he could not escape, and no matter how hard he screamed and cried, he would never be rescued.

A few faces peeked out of their doors, their looks of pity and disapproval landing on the boy. None of them did anything, not that there was anything that they could do. After the boy was carried away, each of them returned to their rooms, knowing that their customers would be waiting.

…

"Beast Boy, no offense, but this is the worst idea you have ever had," Cyborg chastised.

"Cy, we can't just leave them there. You didn't see them," Beast Boy defended. Cyborg groaned in response. He knew what the right thing to do was, but it would jeopardize everything.

"There is no way that this is gonna end well, man. If we rescue those kids, not only do we tip off Robin that we are here, but we also get Oriole on our backs." Beast Boy growled at the logic of Cyborg's argument. Even so, there was no way that he would just sit back and watch those kids suffer.

"There are kids in there younger than ten." Cyborg's face remained conflicted. He hated thinking about leaving them behind, but if they had any chance at kidnapping Robin, it would be thrown away by this.

"Would you rather help the kids or save Robin? Because there is no doing both, it is one or the other. The second that we do anything, he will know we are here." Starfire made a sound of deep displeasure at the predicament.

"Can we not do the both?" she asked, reaching out for anything that would allow that.

"We would have to be doing both at the same time… And honestly, I don't see us capturing Paul, sedating Robin, freeing the children, and fighting Slade at the same time. There are only three of us, it is impossible." Beast Boy turned around, pushing against the car in thought.

"Why is it that Robin can continue on with what he is doing when we can't even save people in need? Why does everything have to work against good?" Both Starfire and Cyborg just watched him, each having felt the same at one point. It had just taken Beast Boy longer to come to the realization.

"Friend Beast Boy," Starfire soothed, placing her hand on his shoulder. "If we save Robin, we can come back to the children and save them then."

"How long will that be? It'll be too late by then. He will sell them off or kill them before he lets us get near them." Within seconds, his voice fell.

"I think you should take the day off from spying. You need to sleep, get your head clear," Cyborg interjected. It was obvious that life as a fly was having adverse effects on Beast Boy. All he did during the day was think about the injustices in the world, especially when it came to what he saw on the wall. Over time, it seemed to wear down on his determination.

"Beast Boy, we can save all of them, just not at once," Starfire assured.

"We'll start thinking of a plan," Cyborg added. "If we can get to Robin soon, then we can free the children afterwards. It won't even be that long. I have connections, I could get help." Beast Boy was about to jump on Cyborg's statement, but was silenced by a warning look. He knew that it would end in getting yelled at if he pursued Cyborg's whereabouts again.

"Excuse me, friends?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah?"  
"Why don't we just see what will happen today?"

"What?"

"Perhaps we could just wait to see what friend Beast Boy finds. We could come back in the night and free them once we know the inside."

"Let's see what happens today, then we'll go from there," Cyborg confirmed. Beast Boy nodded in agreement and stepped out of the car, transforming and flying away.

…

Robin met Paul in the entryway, dressed in his nicest clothes and ready to go. He did not look forward to today, having to see the perversions of Paul's friends. Judging by his communications with Slade, he presumed that nothing was going to happen, but he would come prepared anyways. He hadn't quite reached the affluence that he aimed for, which meant that it could take another month before they were ready to take action. Who knew what the man would think was acceptable behavior by then.

Paul greeted Robin by placing his hand on his neck and squeezing lightly, excitement apparent on his features, but he maintained a mostly neutral demeanor. The two loaded into a limousine rather than their usual car before leaving. Robin assumed that Paul wanted to make his presence known when he arrived. About a half mile down the road, another car pulled out, following them from a safe distance.

…

"Don't forget to mention that you 'have kids' if you are in trouble," Clark reminded. Vince adjusted his collar, making sure that everything was in place.

"It'll be fine, but I'll remember." He patted his coat, checking to see if his phone was still there. Since he had no idea what the security would be like, he couldn't risk walking in with a wire. Therefore, he wore a sensitive Bluetooth in his ear in hopes that it would pick up close by conversation for Clark to listen to. He would wait in the van outside of the manor and listen for any information or cues. The cellphone was the only form of communication that they had, so an ongoing call would be their only option.

Vince drove off in a rented Mercedes and Clark followed him in a van, keeping distance to make sure that no one would see him.

…

Cyborg parked a few hundred feet away from the manor gates, inspecting the new security from afar. It was definitely vamped up from Paul's own house. Starfire shifted in her seat nervously, thinking about what Beast Boy was doing. Both just prayed that the party ended quickly. It made Cyborg uneasy that Beast Boy did not have a communicator on him. If anything went wrong, they would be very hard pressed to know. He hoped that Beast Boy would realize and come to retrieve one of their own communicators to take on the property. However, he had a feeling that Beast Boy wouldn't think that necessary.

Taking a deep breath, Cyborg sat back in his seat, eyeing the van sitting further up the street. He had a suspicion that it was a security van. If anything happened, he would relocate further down the road.

…

Robin stepped out of the limousine, his shiny black shoes becoming dusty from the gravel. He made to walk forward, but Paul's hand caught his arm, pulling him back.

"Hold on, I have something for you," Paul declared, pulling out a long strip of leather. Robin eyed it, stepping forward and allowing Paul to put the leash on him. Noting the compliance in his pet, Paul smirked, tugging the boy forward. He had to make an impression after all. Not just on Jean, but on his guests. Today was a day for pets to know their place.

The reception room was already full of people, waiting for their host to arrive before being let in. The receptionist staff greeted him with as much enthusiasm as last time, ushering him forward through the left door. Soon, guests began filtering in, one by one. The first to be let in were those on the invite list, often without question as their faces were known. The second to be let in were those whom they already had the 'records' on. After that, the leftovers were required to hand in files documenting their sexual health and financial status, as well as a security cheque. Paul leaned into Robin, whispering in his ear.

"Anyone who may pose any danger to our property won't be tended to. Naturally, we need to see a recent examination for sexually transmitted diseases. If one boy gets something, it will spread through the building like wildfire. Bad for business," he explained. Robin didn't know why he felt the need to explain everything. Perhaps he just thought his pet dumb.

"The security deposits?" Robin asked, having a vague suspicion of the answer.

"In case they damage our property," Paul answered. Robin nodded once and looked around the crowd. There were women here, making him wonder if they were business partners or customers. Paul directed Robin to the stairwell, having him stand one step above himself so that he was behind him.

"_Hello and congratulations!"_ he announced. The room fell silent and everyone began to turn to him. "_After many years, we have finally made it here. It took determination and investments on your part, but you will be well rewarded!"_ Applause followed and Robin kept his gaze straight, looking at the glass windows across the room. "_As you may have noticed, portfolios are being handed out and you may begin making your purchases. Please be sure to read them thoroughly so that you may make the best selection. Of course, if you are here as an investor and do not wish to partake in those festivities, then feel free to stay in the great room and mingle." _Applause bellowed through the room and Paul stepped off the stairs, pulling Robin with him. He tugged on his collar, adjusting it as it dug into his neck.

People all around were looking down at tablet screens and Robin tried to see what was on them. He knew they had to be the portfolios. Paul, seeing Robin's interest in the tablets quickly handed him one.

"Go ahead, look," he encouraged, switching back to French immediately afterwards. Robin looked down at the screen hesitantly. He wasn't sure that he wanted to see this. With a look of displeasure, he unlocked the screen, promptly being met by a list of names. He decided to click on a random name. A face popped up, that of a young teen. Under the picture was a list of stats.

_Name: Gerard, Height: 165 cm, Weight: 54 kg, Age: 14, Puberty: Yes, Eye Color: Blue, Hair Color: Blonde, Build: Lean, French Speaker: No_. _Lean muscular build, with thin legs, but moderate abdomen muscle. Acclimated and well versed. [Fst/Dbl/Gld/Tys] _

Robin furrowed his brow at the abbreviations and swiped to the right, looking to see if there was a key. Rather, he found another profile.

_Name: Alex, Height: 158 cm, Weight: 50 kg, Age: 10, Puberty: No, Eye Color: Brown, Hair Color: Brown, Build: Petite, French Speaker: Yes. Very small frame, little muscle tone, easy to maneuver. [Tys/DS] New and unversed, prone to cry. _

Robin recognized the kid from the other day and scrolled down, looking at his time slots. The event had only started and he nearly had a full schedule for the day. Few one hour slots were open and several of the full slots were up to three hours. Robin growled and scrolled back up, looking at the next kid.

Paul noticed his growl and looked over, smirking. He finished the conversation with his associate and stood over Robin, looking down his shoulder.

"Are the profiles not to your liking?" he asked. He didn't want his guests to understand what they were saying.

"The abbreviations_?" _Robin asked. He wanted to avoid the topic of what he thought about them, because he knew Paul would not want to hear it. Paul chuckled, taking the tablet from his hand and reading the profile.

"Well, for instance… This one says [Dbl/Tys/BD/RlPl], which respectfully lists off what the boy is willing to do_."_ Robin looked through them, trying to decipher their meaning. "This boy happens to be a good example because he has so many. They stand for double penetration, toys, bondage discipline, and roleplaying_." _Robin paled slightly, looking down at the picture.

"I'm assuming they don't get to decide what they are willing to do_?" _

"To an extent, yes they do… For instance, if one is particularly terrified of doing something, we will not put that on his list. However, if we can coax them into doing it, then we put it on their list_."_ Paul stressed coax as he spoke, making Robin assume that his definition of coaxing was very similar to Slade's. Robin scoffed, shoving the tablet back into Paul's hands. He was done with looking at profiles. Paul chuckled at Robin's irritation and put the tablet down.

"_Congratulations, Oriole," _a man greeted, his voice genuine. "_Quite the event you have going on here."_ Robin looked at Slade, receiving a solid face in response. He could feel Slade eyeing his leash. Paul quickly perked up in response.

"_Naturally, we wouldn't have been able to do it without your generous funding,"_ he cooed. He was quite the schmoozer.

"_As I said before, a smart investment." _Paul nodded in agreement.

"_Pet, would you go get us some drinks?" _Paul asked, meaning for Robin to leave. Robin nodded and Paul dropped the leash, letting it hang from his neck. Slade watched as the boy walked off, quickly being engulfed in conversation with Paul.

Robin weaved through the crowd, looking for servers with alcohol. He assumed that Paul had meant hard liquor and the only thing being handed out was champagne. Knowing that the lounge had a bar, he made his way through the house, ending up alone in the room. He rummaged through the drinks, looking for bourbon, when someone passed by the door. Without a second glance, he turned around and started pouring the drinks. As he started to walk out, he heard a shuffle. He put the glasses down, knowing that someone wanted his attention. A man was walking upstairs and in an instant, he found himself following him.

He knew that he would pay for this at the hands of Slade, but he had to deal with the situation before it even started. After a short walk to the end of the hall, the man turned into a room. Robin stopped outside the door, knowing that this was a terrible idea. Yet, he walked in, closing and locking the door behind him. The man jumped, turning around to face him in surprise.

"Oh, I think you have the wrong room," he tried, his voice stiff.

"No, I don't believe that I do," Robin replied, taking a step forward. "I know you and Clark have been following me." Vince immediately dropped his act. There was no going back now.

"How long have you known?" he asked, almost chuckling. He knew Robin was smart, but he had taken some serious measures to prevent being found.

"Slade showed me your file when we were in New York. I recognized you at the mall."

"Slade?" he asked, hoping that Clark was getting this.

"You have been tailing me this long and you don't even know who Slade is?" Robin asked in disbelief. Every single person who had crossed their paths had known who Slade was.

"Is that who you work for? Because I have been rather curious the past year. Young hero goes missing and turns up in New York assassinating people. That's not a natural step," Vince explained.

"Ever heard of Deathstroke?" Vince's eyes widened as everything finally clicked into place. He could practically hear the gasp of understanding from Clark in the van. Suddenly, Vince wasn't as confident as he had been before, but he still maintained a strong exterior.

"So, you went to work for him? Tired of the hero life?" Clark was finally going to get the answers that he had always wanted. Robin paused, looking at Vince with a serious gaze.

"He kidnapped me and forced me to work for him," Robin said casually, as if it were nothing. Vince was once again taken aback, but he felt no pity for the boy. How could he? The kid had taken his livelihood away from him, destroyed everything that he had built, and all because his boss told him to? No, he would not feel bad for this soulless shell of a human standing in front of him. Even looking into Robin's eyes, he could find no regret or remorse there.

"It seems that you are fine working _under_ Paul for him," Vince commented. "Doesn't really seem like he forced you to do anything."

"He didn't. I made my choices." Slade had always given him the option, taking the life of an innocent or the life of a criminal. Every time, Robin chose the criminal.

"Do you feel any remorse?" Vince asked, trying to find some small piece of humanity in the kid.

"…No," Robin replied. Vince couldn't tell if it had been a lie or not. It didn't seem like Robin even knew.

"Do you know why I followed you here?"

"You two are cops from New York and my time there was relevant to you then, but not now. I assume that you lost your jobs and are here to take me into custody to get them back," Robin stated, practically mocking him. Vince smiled a half smile and shoved his hand in his pocket.

"You destroyed everything," he corrected, hanging up the phone and cutting his connection with Clark. "I had a nice situation going and you had to come in and ruin it."

"It isn't my fault that you lost your job. I was there for Victor, not for you."

"But you see, that's what I am talking about. I had a nice thing with Victor. I was high up in his business until you came along," Vince explained. He had been planning this speech for a long time.

"You were working for Victor?"

"I was working _with_ Victor! How do you think he ran the police from the inside?" he growled, all of the past year's aggression coming out now. "I gave him access and he gave me affluence. Do you even realize the things that I could do because of that little set up? The things I had to do for it? And you came in and took that away from me!" Robin almost wanted to laugh at Vince.

"So I took away your position as the boss's pet?" he scoffed. This sent Vince further into rage.

"I wasn't his pet! I was his partner, we worked on equal grounds!"

"Did you though? Were you partners or was he just using you? Because he certainly never tried to protect you or your friend when he knew that there were assassins after him."

"He didn't need to. You wouldn't come after us. You didn't even know that we worked for him. You're only purpose was to take out crime bosses, no?"

"There's more to my job than that. You two want to kill me because I ruined your little setup?"

"Well, Clark wants you dead, but for a different reason. He did work for us, he just didn't know it," Vince admitted, not letting the shame come through his voice.

"He doesn't know that his best friend used him to get to the top of a criminal empire? Are you planning on telling him when you call him back?" Robin asked. Vince took a step back, his hand falling on his phone.

"He never has to know," he replied. For a moment, a true look of fear fell upon his face.

"That's odd, because say you do capture me. What would prevent me from telling him about his friend's betrayal?" Robin asked.

"Oh, I don't plan on capturing you," he said, texting a message to Clark to prevent him from busting through the front door. "It seems that you have a different fate." With that, Vince walked to the door, holding it open for him. "Why don't you go back to your master? I'm sure he is wondering where you are." Robin regarded the man, assessing the situation. He knew that there must be more to it than that. There was no way that the man flew all the way to France to find him only to have a conversation. No, Robin knew that the man had something else planned. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to live to see it come to fruition.

Robin moved towards him abruptly, wrapping his arm tightly around Vince's neck and preparing to snap it. However, Vince choked a few words out and Robin paused.

"How i-important is your mission to you? If you ki-ill me, you will be exposed. Clark will come after you," he coughed. Robin stopped for a moment, wondering what he would do with the body. Surely it would be found, which could only lead to problems with his mission. However, if he let Vince go, he would likely rat the two out to Paul. There was no choice, he could not let Vince live. Perhaps he could get Slade to remove the body later tonight after the opening ended.

Robin jerked the head to the side, not giving Vince a moment of notice. His body flailed for one moment before falling limp. Without much regard to the man, he dragged his body across the room and shoved it into the bathroom, shutting the door and breaking the handle. Hopefully no one would attempt to fix the door today. He needed to get back to the party before things got even more suspicious.

Contemplating how he was going to inform Slade, he walked towards the stairs, ignoring the repulsive sounds coming from the hallway. He did not want to think about what was going on in those rooms. However, there was one sound that he couldn't help but stop for. A loud grunt followed by a thump caught Robin's attention and he silently stalked down one of the side hallways.

He stopped at the only door that had no noise coming from it and opened it, peering inside before entering. Immediately, he got into a defensive position, facing the man clad in black. Apparently he had interrupted something as the figure jumped before assuming a similar defensive position. Before Robin had time to say anything, the man ran towards him and attacked, throwing his leg out. Robin dodged it and brought his elbow down to meet the man's shoulder.

The man stopped, giving Robin a look of shock before jumping towards him. He had not expected the boy to be able to fight. The two continued to fight silently for several minutes, each trying not to attract too much attention. Luckily, any grunt of pain was masked by the ambience of the hallway. Robin wrapped his legs around the man, slamming them both to the ground, and quickly wrapped his leash around his neck. Fingers grasped at the leather and at Robin's hands, but Robin was not letting go. Several desperate gasps escaped the man's lips before he finally became silent.

After a minute, Robin released his grip, dropping the body on the floor and standing up. He could not believe how badly the day was already going. The leash had nail marks and cuts along the length and he was especially dismayed by the blood stain on his shirt. Without hesitation, he pulled the man's shirt off and switched it with his own, knowing that Paul would question it either way. It would be easier to answer for a change of shirt than blood.

He stepped over the body, examining the area that the man had been working at. There was a small black panel in the closet that he immediately recognized as a bomb. After the initial confusion, Robin examined it further. This was a rather small bomb, something to use locally for building demolition. There had to be more around the manor and Robin knew that this man wasn't the only one planting the charges. He would have to warn Slade as quickly as possible. The man was not going to be happy with either of the bits of news. However, Robin now had a way to dispose of both bodies.

Robin dragged the body into the closet, shutting the door and leaving the room as quickly as possible. Hopefully he wouldn't have to kill anyone else on his way. He walked downstairs, looking around at all the places that charges could be put. Who knew how long they had before the place was blown into a pile of rubble.

He was welcomed at the bottom of the staircase by Paul, who stopped looking angry to start looking confused.

"What happened to your shirt? And what happened to your leash?" he asked, pulling the tattered leash through his fingers. "Where did you go?"

"I went to get drinks when someone tried to buy me. He was insistent, pulling on my leash, and ended up spilling the drinks all over me," Robin lied coolly. He looked around for Slade, not finding the man anywhere.

"Where did you get the shirt?"

"Upstairs. Someone offered it to me when I was cleaning the other one in the sink." He knew that any further prodding would blow his whole story, but he only needed it to last long enough for him to warn Slade. Paul noticed that his attention was elsewhere and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at him.

"Looking for your partner?" he asked. Robin's eyebrows scrunched in confusion and Paul's grip tightened. "Don't worry, you won't be seeing him again. In the meanwhile, I think we will send you to the basement, where you belong." Still confused, Robin stepped back as Paul let go and landed straight into the arms of a security guard. Hands tightened around his shoulders and his feet were picked up by another man before he was carried to the edge of the room.

He began to struggle, still uncertain of what Paul had meant. Did he know about Slade? Or did he think that he had slept with a customer? It didn't really matter at this point. If anything, he was exposed to be a traitor anyways, meaning that acting nice wouldn't get him out. With an explosion on the horizon, he didn't want to stick around and try to smooth things over. Within a moment, he began fighting back with all of his might, attempting to get out of their grip. He pulled a knife out of his belt, slashing it at one of the men's arms before something blunt hit his head, knocking him out.

Paul watched as Robin's limp body was carried through the doorway and downstairs before he turned his attention to one of his workers.

"_How is the situation with the other one?" _he asked, the displeasure obvious in his voice.

"_We have him in the Gold Room. What would you like us to do?" _

"_Find out who he really is, then kill him," _he ordered without hesitation. "_And do it quietly. I don't want anything disrupting the party." _He walked out of the room, heading down the stairwell to the basement.

…

Robin came back into consciousness within minutes. For a moment, he thought that he was back at base with Slade, but he quickly came to realize that the surroundings were not familiar. There were crates stamped with various symbols and a large cage to the left of the room. He immediately recognized one of the boys behind the bars as the boy who sat behind him when they were being held for the auction.

For a moment, he thought he could move, but was pulled back by chains around his arms and legs. He was sitting on the ground, his legs tied together and his hands bound in cuffs. A single chain held all of his appendages to the ground, but offered some crawling room. However, not enough to get very far.

"Morning," a voice cooed mockingly. Robin looked up at Paul, still confused and agitated by the man. He needed to know what had happened.

"What am I doing down here?"

"Normally, I would not treat my pet so badly, but considering that you are an assassin, I think that I can make an exception." Robin dropped his act immediately, his look of concern fading into that of an easygoing business associate.

"You spoke to Vince?" Robin asked rhetorically, knowing the answer. He should have killed the man when he recognized him at the mall. Or at least told Slade to.

"I invite you into my home, treat you kindly, buy you nice things, and you repay me by plotting my murder?" Paul answered, his anger clear. Robin raised his eyebrows. The man sounded genuinely betrayed.

"It wasn't originally planned for me to live with you, but you showed an interest, so I took advantage," Robin stalled. "You made yourself an easy target."

"I know that you work for Wilson, though I don't know who he really is. I'm sure he is the one who told you to sell yourself." Robin could see that he was trying to demean him, make him feel inferior. However, Robin knew his place with Slade.

"He has the final say, yes. Speaking of him, I'm sure he will be killing whoever you have on him right now," Robin said confidently, smirking.

"You think so? You think he will come and save you? I'm sorry to inform you that it is just you and me here until you take your last breath."

"What about them?" Robin asked, indicating towards the children in the cage. If he was going to be stuck here until he formulated a plan of escape, he might as well patronize the man.

"Oh, I can kill them too if you'd like."

"You think that is a threat? I am an assassin," Robin laughed, disbelieving of the man's logic. The boys in the cage looked concerned, even those who couldn't understand the conversation. They knew that seeing Paul was a bad sign, and seeing him tie down his own pet was not encouraging either. However, Robin's easygoing demeanor during such a situation terrified them more than Paul.

"Once I learned your name, I knew who you were. A hero like yourself wouldn't want innocents to be killed, no matter who you may work with now." Paul began pacing, looking down at Robin sitting beneath him.

"I _used _to be a hero. Not anymore," he said dryly, uninterested in listening to his long forgotten past. He moved his hands down to his waist, trying to find a way to get a pick out of his belt without Paul noticing. It was buried under his clothes, meaning he would have to pull his shirt up to reach anything useful. It wasn't exactly something that he could do discreetly.

"So you wouldn't mind if I just slit one of their pretty throats?" Paul sauntered over to the cage slowly, opening it and pulling one of the boys out. He pulled him to the forefront, gripping him by his shirt. The boy caught eyes with Robin, pleading for him to do something as Paul picked up a thin knife. "I believe that this is the knife that you tried to use on Henry?" he asked, flipping it in his hand.

"What good would killing one of them do? They make your money for you, and you're just going to kill me anyways," Robin scoffed, his expression displaying no concern for his _friend. _

"That is true. However, these boys refuse to do their job, so they are of no use to me anyways. Perhaps I can make an example of you. Really show them what disobedience earns you." Paul shoved the boy in a chair, ordering him to sit and watch.

"_This boys, is what happens when you disobey me," _he announced, walking over to Robin and standing behind him so that Robin's head sat just above waist. He leaned down and grabbed Robin's hair, pulling his head back before slamming his knee into the side of his face. Robin spat out blood, blinking until his vision returned. Paul continued with a punch to the jaw before stepping back. "_See? This boy will die a very painful death because of his insolence." _

…

Slade sat in a lounge chair, reclining and swirling his drink in his glass while he waited. It had been several minutes since Paul left, claiming to be looking for Jean and returning quickly. However, when the door opened, it was not Paul, but rather several men that Slade recognized as his guards. Slade stood up, eyeing them all and waiting for something to happen before making a move. His suspicions were confirmed when a gun with a sound muffle was pulled out.

He jumped onto the chair, launching himself forward into the crowd and attacking without reservation. When Paul had asked him to talk privately and then left so suddenly, he had known that something was wrong. What had tipped him off, Slade did not know, but he wondered if Robin was exposed too. Most likely he had been, and most likely he was in a similar situation.

Slade snapped the neck of one man before turning to the next and slamming him onto the ground. He quickly finished off the last two and stepped out of the room, unhappy that their mission had been blown. However, he still wasn't completely certain if Robin was in any danger, so he wasn't going to risk exposing him. Instead, he would stalk around and try to see what was going on without drawing attention to himself. It was likely that no one would stumble upon the bodies any time soon.

He stood behind the staircase, looking around the great hall for any sign of Robin or Paul, but didn't see either. Deciding that it was safe, he stepped out into the room, being careful to appear as if nothing had happened. For a few minutes, no one seemed to mind his searching, but a pair of men spotted him and starting moving towards his direction. Paul must have told the entire staff that he was to be killed. His best move would be to stay in the great hall, that way they couldn't do anything. A pair of hands landed on his shoulder and pulled him back.

"_Step out of the room," _the man commanded. However, Slade was not one to take orders and immediately turned on the man, forcing his arm to twist until it snapped the bone. The other man jumped towards him, trying to subdue him, and ended up face down on the ground with one arm behind his back. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing to watch the scene, frozen in surprise. Some people stepped back, but no one made a move to leave, all too engrossed in the scene.

Slade began fighting one of the men furiously, while the other tried to get over the pain of his snapped ulna. The man sent a swift punch towards Slade, but Slade wasted no time in catching it and shoving him into the wall. The man landed onto a table, breaking it with a clash. However, that was not what caused people to gasp. A large green mass fell from the middle of the wall and landed in the pile of rubble with a grunt. Even Slade stopped for a moment to look at Beast Boy in surprise. After a moment of watching him gasp in pain, he pulled a knife out and stalked towards the boy.

Beast Boy didn't even realize what was happening until Slade's feet were right in front of him. Slade loomed over him, about to lean down when a cloud of black shrouded over Beast Boy, engulfing him. Within a moment, and before Slade could react, the cloud and Beast Boy were gone. He sighed in annoyance before returning to his other fight. Today was not turning out to be a good day.

…

Beast Boy fell face first to the ground, grass packing into his mouth. With a grunt, he spit it out and sat up, focusing his vision and freezing in place. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, so he just continued to stare.

"Beast Boy, concentrate!" Raven barked, looking down at the boy in shock.

"Ra-Raven?" he choked out.

"We need to get those kids out of there before they all die," she said, leaning down and placing her hands on his arm firmly. "Do you think that you can go back in there?"  
"Y-yeah. What are you doing here?" he asked shakily, ignoring her healing.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she growled. "You could have gotten yourself killed! Why did you transform?" Beast Boy was having a hard time working through his confusion so that he could answer the question.

"That guy slammed into me, I couldn't help it," he spit out. Raven stood and pulled him up with her, moving his arm gently. "What are you doing here?" he repeated.

"I've been following you all for a while, but I didn't plan on making contact unless you did something stupid," she explained, walking briskly towards the car that the rest of the team were in.

"You've been following us?" he repeated, trying to keep up with her pace. "How long? Why?"

"We can talk about this later, Beast Boy," she growled, making it apparent that the conversation was over. She stopped him in place, holding his arms. "Can you go back in there? I will get Cyborg and Star." Beast Boy nodded in return, testing out his arm before transforming into a bird and flying back towards the house. Raven watched him fly off before turning around and transporting to the car.

…

Robin was now sitting on his knees, bent down from his ties. He looked at the teeth on the ground, wondering which ones they were. Paul circled him before kneeling in front of him so that they were face to face. He could see the boy struggling to get into a sitting position, but the chains would not allow him to sit so tall. Robin looked him in the eye, his demeanor unwavering. He would not let the man see one ounce of fear from him.

"You have a remarkable pain tolerance," he commented.

"Well, you are nothing compared to Slade," Robin mumbled, unable to make complete coherent speech with the state of his mouth.

"Perhaps we should move along then?" he posed, pulling out a pair of scissors. He cut off Robin's shirt, chuckling when he found a uniform underneath it. "Ah, so you came prepared?" Paul shoved Robin backwards, making him land in a sitting position, and proceeded to cut off his pants, exposing his full uniform and belt. Paul was particularly impressed with how compact and well-hidden the belt had been. "What do we have in here?"

Robin watched as he began to pull things out of the belt, placing them on the ground behind him as he did so. Paul reveled in the amount of stuff that was in this tiny belt. If he wasn't so angry at the attempt at his life, he would have been impressed with Robin's skills. Robin meanwhile, sat still and allowed him to remove his weapons, waiting for him to find one thing in particular.

"You certainly know how to hide things, don't you?" he said, pulling out a cable wire that he presumed was either for strangling or for hanging things. There was one pouch that was rounder than the others, sitting on Robin's hip. "What is this?" He pulled the small ball out, examining it with interest.

"Why don't you open it and find out?" Robin replied, daring the man to try. Paul smirked.

"I think not," he said, putting it down gently behind him. Robin caught the gaze of the boy sitting in the chair behind Paul, eyeing him intently. Paul continued rummaging until there was nothing left. "Well, now that the fun is over, why don't we end this petty game? I am done with you."

Robin leaned back so that he was laying down, immediately kicking his leg up towards Paul's face. Paul caught his leg, but only enough to slow the kick. He was knocked to the side, falling off his knees and to the floor. Robin shot forward, his hands reaching for the small ball. Within a second, he pushed a button and the device beeped. He dropped the ball and Paul looked at it in alarm before looking back at Robin, who had tried to move towards the nearest box as quickly as he could. However, he was pulled back by the chains and was unable to make it to the box, so he curled up on the floor and covered his face. Paul stood up abruptly, but was too late. Another beep came from the ball, followed by a _whooshing_ sound.

Robin felt stinging in his back, listening to the short screams from everyone in the room. He sat up, ignoring the pain, and crawled over to the supplies from his belt, grabbing the syringe and plunging it into his leg. After a few moments, he turned to face Paul, who was convulsing on the floor, covered in little metallic needles. Paul continued to seize up for another thirty seconds until he stopped moving, finally relaxing with his last breath.

Robin grabbed his lock pick and unlocked the cuffs, standing up and stretching out. He pulled one of the needles out of his side, but was unable to reach the others on his back. Turning around, he saw the other boy lying on the ground, having fallen out of his chair. His eyes were glassy and his expression was frozen in agony as he was also covered in the needles. Really, the weapon was meant for a larger crowd, but Robin had to make do at the moment.

He began reloading his belongings into his belt before walking over to the cage where the other boys were. Grabbing the keys from a hook on the opposite wall, he unlocked the door and opened it, giving them one look before turning around and walking away. The boys scrambled out, carefully avoiding the field of needles spread out across the room, and ran for the door, passing Robin.

Their muffled shouts died down as Robin fell behind, still tired from the beating and poison that he had taken. This is why he always carried the antidote to anything that he carried. You never know when you will have it used on you.

He made his way up the stairs and started searching for the exit amongst the maze of hallways.

…

Slade was still fighting security, who had called for backup, when three boys burst through a door, screaming and running towards the exit. The guests who had been watching the fight in concern now started to panic, wondering what was going on. A few followed the boys to the door, also panicking when they realized that it was closed and locked. Those who realized that they were unable to get out began to run around frantically, searching for an exit.

"Je vais te tuer," Slade's counterpart said. Slade narrowed his eyes, sheathing his knife. He wanted to kill this one by hand.

"You obviously have no idea who I am," he replied. As the two fought, people began to make their way to the top of the staircase from upstairs, wondering where all the noise was coming from. Upon seeing the fighting and panic, they began shouting and running in different directions. Some stayed where they stood, watching the fight in confusion. To them, it seemed like a fight between a customer and Paul, who had his guards rectifying the situation. However, to the children that came to investigate, it looked like they were being attacked. Those who were not being held back by their customers began to run downstairs and search for exits, avoiding the fight as best as they possibly could.

Things got progressively worse when one of the guards pulled out a gun and began shooting. If people hadn't been sure about their safety before, they were certain about the danger now. Slade dodged the shooter multiple times, leaving bullets flying all over the room. However, one bullet found its way to a child at the top of the balcony and a scream of pain filled the room, followed by a large thud as the boy fell from the top floor. The children that remained upstairs started to break free from their customer's grips and ran down the hallway, looking for a back exit.

Several people at the front door stopped banging and kicking when they heard a voice.

"Back up and take cover." The children obeyed immediately, frightened of who might be on the other side, but desperate to be saved.

Slade had the man pinned between his legs, pulling the knife out of his sheath and looking down at him in victory. With a smirk, he slid the knife across his throat, cutting so deep that there would be no survival. He dropped the body to the floor and stood up, looking around for any more challengers, when there was a loud crash, followed by glass flying everywhere. Standing in the large hole where the window used to be was Beast Boy in dinosaur form. Another crash came from the door as it was blown off its hinges.

The children immediately started running out of the exits, ignoring their saviors. Beast Boy swooped in as a hawk, flying to the top floor to inform the others of the exit route. Cyborg started directing children out of the building, sending them towards Raven and Starfire, who were both a short distance away.

Most of the children ran past them, ignoring their extended hands, but for the few who had stopped, they were transported off the grounds. Raven teleported back and forth, terrifying the children, but providing a means of escape. Starfire began flying them over the gate, telling them to wait on the road. As the situation was out of hand, they were unable to stop some of them from running off.

Inside, Cyborg had immediately went for Slade, fury in his eye. He hadn't had a chance to actually fight the man since Robin disappeared. Even in New York, he hadn't been present for any of their confrontations. Seeing him there, killing people like it was nothing, only fueled his fire. All of the training he had received kicked in and he found himself fighting for the kill, even if he wasn't thinking about it.

Beast Boy flew back down the stairs, a small swarm of kids behind him. He transformed, watching the fight between Slade and Cyborg. It was obvious who was more trained, but only slightly. Though Slade was an expert, Cyborg displayed his new skills quite prominently. It had even thrown Slade off guard for a moment since he was so used to Cyborg's non-lethal fighting style. He guessed that without Robin, the Titans weren't so clean after all.

Beast Boy was about to join in when Raven stopped him.

"You get all the kids?" she asked, breathless from the constant teleportation. She had no energy left to expend, but there was no choice. She had to continue.

"I don't know, I only got the ones that I could find upstairs. There could be others," he replied. Raven pushed him back, nodding towards the doorway.

"Go and sweep the building. Try to find Robin too," she commanded, "I'll help Cyborg." Beast Boy nodded, not questioning her authority. She joined the fight, going at Slade while he was being distracted by Cyborg. However, her powers were waning and she found herself resorting to physical fighting, which wasn't her strongpoint.

Slade knew this and decided to take advantage of it. Cyborg wouldn't fight him if Raven was injured. He would be too busy assisting her. Quickly turning around, he grabbed Raven's wrist, flipping her to the ground with a forceful slam. The breath was knocked out of her and she lie on the ground, her eyes wide. He then kicked her in the side, flipping her over. Cyborg wouldn't let this go on further. He whipped out his gun, pulling the trigger before he finished aiming.

Slade grunted as the bullet hit him, feeling the impact in his back. He stopped for a moment and faced Cyborg, dropping Raven on the ground and chuckling.

"Perhaps you should have aimed for the face," he taunted, rolling his shoulder and stepping forward. He left the bullet in the Kevlar, not bothering to pull it out. "Now now, Cyborg, I thought you were a hero?"

Cyborg responded by shooting again, but Slade took action, dodging his shots. He pulled out his own gun, making them equally matched. Cyborg flew behind a turned over table, taking shelter and continuing his fire. He would need a new tactic if this was going to work. Raven recovered and started to attack, feebly attempting to use magic to distract Slade. Beast Boy flew back down the stairs after his second sweep, another small horde of children and men following him.

He landed next to Raven and transformed, taking cover.

"Did you find Robin?" she grunted, trying to concentrate while talking.

"No, he's downstairs somewhere. I saw Paul take him," he replied, watching Starfire shoot bolts at Slade. "What do we do?"

"We go get Robin," she answered firmly. "This is our one shot. Go." Beast Boy stared at her, disbelieving that she wanted him to leave them to fight Slade. "This is what you wanted! Go!" she repeated. Beast Boy opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a shout from Cyborg.

"You two! Go and find Robin!" he commanded, dodging a bullet. Starfire flew over him, attempting to distract Slade while making sure that Cyborg remained unharmed.

"We can't leave you," Beast Boy said, insistent. For the briefest moment, Cyborg locked eyes with Raven and she nodded, grabbing Beast Boy's arm and pulling him towards her.

"They'll be fine, we need to find Robin. This is our only chance," she said, her tone serious. "It is now or never." Beast Boy opened his mouth, looking between the two, but stood up and followed Raven across the room, taking shelter behind the small shield that she conjured. Luckily, Slade didn't seem to be interested in stopping them, so they made it to the door unscathed.

Cyborg turned to Starfire when the two disappeared, indicating for her to go as well. She gave him a look of concern, but nodded and started bombarding Slade. She gradually moved back, keeping her momentum going until she reached the door. With one last glance towards Cyborg, receiving a look of assurance, she went through the door.

…

Robin ran along a corridor, searching for an exit. If he had been awake to see where they took him, he would have been able to get out, but he had no recollection of it. This was not the time to be stuck in a maze of hallways. He was concerned that the bomb hadn't gone off yet and was beginning to wonder if the rest of the charges hadn't been set. No professional would assign one person to do the entire job if efficiency and discretion were important. No matter, he still had to inform Slade.

He heard sounds coming from down the hall, feet running, but before he could investigate, his worries were confirmed. A resounding explosion sent the entire building shaking and Robin to the floor. The shaking died down and Robin could see a crack forming in the ceiling. He stood up and held on to the wall as the second explosion went off, this time much closer. The crack opened up wider and spread down the length of the hallway.

Knowing it could very well collapse, Robin began running down the hall, searching for some sort of refuge. He found a door and stood under its arch, bracing himself as the next two explosions came. With those, parts of the roof collapsed and he could feel the building beginning to strain.

…

Cyborg watched the door shut, facing Slade alone. Slade smirked, knowing that Cyborg wouldn't be able to hold him off alone. However, Cyborg didn't intend to. Just as Starfire did, he made his way back, gradually approaching the door. Slade, however, knew his plan and began cornering him away from the exit. Taking a chance, Cyborg flung himself over, opening the door and jumping through. A bullet grazed by his arm, scratching his armor, but he turned before Slade could aim again.

He was running down the stairs with Slade on his tail when the explosion hit, sending him tumbling down. Slade had managed to catch the rail before he fell, but was too off balance to continue an attack. Cyborg stood up, rotating his arm when a second wave hit. He gripped the nearest wall and turned around to see what Slade was doing. The roof had collapsed onto the staircase, leaving a shroud of dust flying through the air. He wasted no time in going down the hallway, determined to find his team.

Two more explosions sent the rest of the building down, leaving a pile of concrete chunks where the manor used to be. The bottom floor had lived through most of the damage, since it was underground where no charges had been placed. However, every door leading upstairs was now blocked. Sirens wailed in the distance and a helicopter flew along the horizon, each approaching the wreckage of what was meant to be an ordinary day of business.

* * *

First, I would like to announce a **name change** for the story. I have loathed the title for the longest time and am finally changing it. So, for those of you who are not followers, but search for the story to see if there are updates, this affects you. From now on, you need to search for my author name or **Finding Retribution**.

Second, I would like to acknowledge the help that I received from the following:

-**Ravager17:** my longstanding Beta who has been helping me with story continuity and ideas since Chapter One.

-**sugarfreefox: **who helped me get out of a rut by bouncing off ideas with me about this chapter. The bombs are courtesy of her creative mind.

-**dlsky: **who helped me by giving extensive feedback on continuity and flow of the this chapter, as well as the overall story. Without that help, who knows how long this chapter would have sat in editing. Maybe forever.


	33. Dark Birds

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

So, this announcement is both a happy and a sad one. This is the second to last chapter of FR, which makes me a little sentimental. However, I would like to advise you, **make sure you stick around for the final chapter.**

Also, please read the author's notes on the next chapter since they are pretty important.

Thank you for the two years of support that you have given for this story!

* * *

Three pairs of feet stood at the top of a hill, their shoes making imprints on the wet grass. A long shadow cast itself across the ground as the sun rose to the top of the sky, leaving the dark impression of a tree on the soil.

"I never thought it would end like this," a voice lamented, melancholy laced within its tone.

"None of us did. Who would?" The three paused, looking down at the tombstones, peace and closure displaying itself for the first time on their faces. After a few moments of silence, they turned, walking down the hill without looking back. Clouds moved across the sky and a single crow perched itself on a tree, hawking loudly. The sound of the bird grew louder and louder until it became a scream, one which seemed to echo off of each tombstone, one which sounded of the deepest pain that could be experienced.

…

Raven darted up, gasping and clutching at her chest. She blinked rapidly, trying to remember where she was, but all that she could see was that name on the tombstone. It was burned into her mind so deeply that she forgot what she had been doing previously. After a few moments, she could feel the breeze on her face and came back to where she was, remembering. She inhaled deeply and picked her book up from the ground, standing and looking around. The sun was setting; she hadn't meant to be out that long.

She walked back up the path, the sound of the crow still ringing in her ears. There was no doubt in her mind about what she had just seen. Her hands shook as she contemplated its meaning, dreading what her next move would be. The path ascended to a clearing and she looked upon the monastery with longing, knowing that she would have to leave.

-Paris: Present Day-

Robin stepped out of the door's arch, concluding that the worst was over. It was unlikely that any more charges would go off, not so long after the others. He was sure that Slade had survived since it would take a nuclear bomb to kill the man. As for the others in the building, he wasn't so sure. Unless something significant had happened, everyone would have gotten crushed before they could get out.

He stepped over chunks of the ceiling, being careful to watch the structure as he walked. The building had to be unstable. All of the exits would have caved in, so getting out would be his next challenge. Perhaps there was a back exit for servants that wouldn't be blocked. It was worth a shot.

Once again, the maze of hallways seemed endless. He supposed that whoever built the manor had wanted it to be difficult to break in and get back out. The main hallway appeared to lead somewhere, so he decided not to deviate off of it. However, he did come to a stop when he felt a presence.

"I tried to warn you about the bombs," he said quietly, staring forward.

"I'm sure you did. It seems that our cover was blown," Slade replied, stepping out. Robin knew that Slade's first assumption would be a screw up on Robin's part. However, for once, a blown mission actually wasn't his fault. It wasn't his laziness, incompetence, or drunkenness that had ruined it all. In fact, it was Slade's loose ends from New York. Of course, he would never say that to the man.

"Two detectives from New York followed us here. One of them blew our cover before I managed to kill him. I don't know where the other one is," Robin answered, confirming his innocence.

"You killed Paul?" Slade asked.

"Yes." Slade began to pull the remaining needles out of Robin's back. He had known that the weapon wasn't a good idea. "Have you found a way out yet?" Robin asked.

"No. The only way out caved in. I would know since it caved in on top of me," Slade mused. "Before we leave, there is one last thing I need you to do."

"Yes?" Robin faced Slade, prepared to do whatever was asked of him.

"Are you aware that the Titans are here? Right in these halls with us?" Robin did not react, despite the unwelcome news. He had half expected them to show up again. "This time, I expect you to kill them," Slade commanded, his authority clear. He pulled out his gun, freshly loaded, and placed it in Robin's hands.

"Yes, master," Robin replied, his voice hollow.

…

"Star! Hey! Have you found BB and Rae?" Cyborg shouted, flagging down the alien.

"Oh, friend Cyborg! I am so glad to see that you are alright. Unfortunately, I have not found them or Robin." Cyborg sighed in disappointment, hoping to hear that the others were okay.

"Slade might be down here too, so we gotta make sure we don't draw too much attention. We need to separate them if they find each other."

"Yes, I too fear that they will re-unite," she confirmed, worry in her voice. They turned a corner, seemingly walking in a random direction.

…

"Do you think Cyborg and Star are okay?" Beast Boy worried, walking awkwardly next to Raven. It had been so long since they'd seen each other, and they didn't exactly part on good terms. Yet, given the gravity of the current situation, their entire past was forgotten for just the briefest moment.

"I'm sure they are fine. They can handle themselves," Raven replied resolutely. Beast Boy couldn't help but get the feeling that she knew something he didn't. She seemed distracted, not paying any consideration to the well-being of their teammates. "Do you think you could sniff him out?" she asked.

"Yeah, I suppose," he replied, shifting into a blood hound. Raven trailed closely behind him, following him at every turn. He seemed to speed up as he picked up a scent and soon Raven found herself jogging to keep up with him.

"Beast Boy, slow down!" she shouted, but he had stopped abruptly, causing her to nearly trip over him. "I said slow down, not stop." He stood still, his ears standing up and his hair on end. Raven looked ahead in silence, hearing a soft ruffle.

…

"Do you really think that what Raven said was true?" Starfire asked softly. Cyborg could hear a gentleness in the question. He knew that tone. It was one of a deep desire for the truth to be false.

"I mean, when has she ever been wrong?"

"Perhaps this one time," Starfire offered in sincerity, hoping for once that her friend was mistaken. Before Cyborg could reply, the two were stopped by a figure that stepped into the hallway. Starfire's eyes lit up and she held her hands out, while Cyborg took a defensive stance.

"Hello again," Slade greeted. "Got separated from the group? Bad idea, really." Starfire narrowed her eyes.

"You are going to pay for what you have done," she threatened. Over the past few years, she had matured in both voice and appearance. No longer did she look like the eager girl who sought to belong, but now she truly fit the figure of a fierce queen. Nonetheless, Slade wasn't intimidated by anyone, no matter how strong they may be.

"Have you not gotten the message that Robin wants to stay? You wouldn't have had to die if you just weren't so stubborn." Cyborg had had enough of his taunting and ran forward, prepared to fight the man until his last breath.

…

"Raven, Beast Boy," Robin greeted, facing the two. Beast Boy transformed, standing in anticipation. The air seemed to stand still as the three regarded each other. Raven could feel Robin's cold gaze on her and the memories of New York flooded back as she looked into those long gone eyes. For a moment, she had to remind herself that this wasn't just another villain. Whoever was behind those eyes, she did not know. In fact, she wasn't even sure if she remembered what used to hide behind that domino mask.

"Beast Boy, there's something I haven't told you," Raven whispered. Beast Boy gave her a look from the side, wondering why she thought the time to be appropriate.

"In New York, I showed you mercy. I do not know why, but I can assure you, it will not happen again." Robin regarded them as if he had never known them, giving them a look that one would give an intruder.

"We aren't here to reason with you," Beast Boy stated. Robin tilted his head and raised his eyebrows.

"Then what are you here to do?" he asked, feigning interest. Beast Boy looked at Raven, who gave him a blank stare in return.

"Force you out," he replied. Robin smiled an unsettling, artificial smile. For a moment, Beast Boy completely forgot why they were here. He didn't recognize Robin at all. In New York, he had held out hope that Robin was somewhere in there. This time, there was no resemblance between the two in any way, nothing to indicate that he might be redeemable.

"Well, then, by all means, try to kidnap me. If the past is any indication, that shouldn't be a very hard task." Raven wondered if he was referring to their failed attempt at his abduction, or at Slade's success at it.

Beast Boy stood still, unsure of what to do. The fact that Robin was just standing there, not attacking, was really disturbing. It seemed as if he was just waiting for them to move, not even bothering to put up an initial defense. Quite frankly, he scared both of them, although Raven didn't show it as much as Beast Boy did.

"Are you afraid now that you've actually found me? Go ahead, attack," Robin urged, his voice artificially eager. Raven was the first to make a move, sending a wave of magic his way. It wasn't a show stopping move as she was still tired from earlier and couldn't conjure anything significantly damaging. Beast Boy re-gained his courage upon seeing the act, transforming into a leopard and springing forward.

Robin brushed off the first attack like it was nothing, immediately jumping into action and pulling out a knife. He lashed at Beast Boy, who transformed into a falcon upon seeing the knife. The larger his body was, the easier of a target he would be. Taking this in mind, he flew around Robin's head, slashing at him with his talons. Raven had begun a physical attack, mostly attempting to distract him so that Beast Boy could land some hits. They just needed the right opportunity.

She had gotten too close and Robin turned his attention to her, forcing her to block the knife with small force fields. Beast Boy grabbed at the knife, pulling it out of Robin's hands at the expense of his feet. He flung it over to the side and Raven dived for it. She was never one to use weapons, but she would take all the help that she could get. They did not want Robin to get it back.

Robin followed her, grabbing her by the neck and yanking her back. He wrapped his arm around her throat, cutting off her circulation and pulling her to the ground. Beast Boy flew down, ripping at Robin's back with his talons. Robin simply ignored the pain and continued his choke hold, so Beast Boy morphed into a ram, running towards Robin with every ounce of fury in his body.

Sensing the movement, Robin flipped over, taking Raven with him, and rolled out of the way. Within seconds, the foot of a bull came crashing down, and he was forced to let go for a moment. Raven crawled away, choking and regaining color in her face. Beast Boy continued to fight, making sure that Robin could get nowhere near Raven.

Using Beast Boy's distraction, she sat in a meditative pose, trying to calm herself and gain some strength. They couldn't do this without Cyborg and Starfire.

…

"Star!" Cyborg shouted, warning her against Slade's attack. However, it wasn't in enough time and she was quickly grasped and dragged out of the air. Slade slammed her to the ground, pinning her and pushing her head sideways into the concrete. Cyborg ran forward, aiming his canon and trying to avoid shooting Starfire. Before he could come to a decision, she flipped Slade over and punched him in the face. She pinned him to the ground and shot a bolt at him, leaving a large burn in his shoulder.

Slade gritted his teeth and threw her off of him, pulling out his sword and facing the two. He had had enough of this.

Cyborg was the first to challenge him again and began dodging the sword, which came very close to slicing off one of his appendages several times. Starfire flew ahead, but was thrown to the wall by Slade's back hand.

Cyborg knew they couldn't fight him alone. Hell, they couldn't defeat him when they had a team of five. If they had any chance of getting out of here, they would have to find Beast Boy and Raven.

…

Raven watched as Starfire was thrown to the ground. Slade was coming too close to injuring Cyborg for her comfort. If they had any chance, it would be as a team.

Raven returned to her body, taking a sudden breath and bolting up. Beast Boy was getting reamed by Robin, but he was still holding up, fighting with as much enthusiasm as before. The determination in his eye told her that he would fight until he was dead. This was no longer about saving their old friend. This was about ending it.

Raven ran over, starting hand to hand combat with Robin and loosening the load on Beast Boy.

"Decided to join again?" Robin taunted. Raven caught Beast Boy's gaze, trying to relay a message with her eyes. He looked puzzled for a moment before joining back in the fight. There was no way he would understand unless she said something.

"Follow me," she shouted, sending one last punch towards Robin before running down the halls. Beast Boy stopped for a moment, not understanding why she would want to run from the fight, but he trusted her enough to follow. The two sprinted down the halls, neither looking to see if Robin was on their trail.

The sounds of another fight started becoming louder as they turned down successive corridors and Beast Boy knew where she was taking him. The two skidded to a halt when they landed in the room where the rest of the team was fighting Slade. Starfire glanced over, joy on her face upon seeing her friends. Beast Boy was too caught up in the adrenaline of the fight to rejoice in the survival of the two.

"How sweet, we have a little reunion," Slade commented, taking hold of Starfire. Everyone stopped for a moment, watching him. Starfire prepared to attack, but stopped when Robin skidded into the room and caught her gaze. Her eyes narrowed and she grabbed Slade's arm, turning around and twisting his hand off of her. She launched herself towards Robin, her expression severe. He remained in the still until the last moment, when she came down upon him with all of her fury.

Following her enthusiasm, the rest of the team sprung into battle. Beast Boy and Cyborg continued after Slade, while Raven joined Starfire against Robin. Occasionally, someone would switch opponents, fighting whoever was nearer, but for the most part they stayed in those two groups. Robin and Slade were relentless in their attacks, both being as brutal as possible. At one point, Robin had even reached for his little ball before realizing he had already used it.

Robin threw Starfire face forward to the ground, pushing her shoulder into the floor and trying to break it. She stuck her hand out behind her, shooting at him, but he rolled off before the bolt could make contact. Not taking a break, he immediately kicked her in the face, springing back up into a standing position. She darted up, eyes glowing, and flew towards him, sending the two straight into the wall. A small crack formed, making its way up to the ceiling, as the two continued to fight on the floor.

Meanwhile, Slade was in the middle of blocking an attack from Cyborg when Raven shrouded him in darkness. He continued to fight through the blindness, but his defense fell. Cyborg shot him with his canon, sending him stumbling back. Starfire stood up, turning to aid Cyborg, but Robin threw a knife at her, pulling her attention back to him.

Raven's spell finally faded as Slade grabbed for her, swiping her off her feet. He picked her up like she weighed nothing and threw her into the wall. An explosion of magic followed and the building began to shake. Slade took a step back, watching the crack in the ceiling widen before everything came crashing down. A large cement chunk hit him in the shoulder and he stepped back, avoiding the remaining downpour. His sword fell out of his hand and clattered to the ground, landing on the other side of the barrier of rubble.

Raven groaned and rolled over, looking at the large chunks of cement separating Slade from the rest of them. If she could smile at the moment, she would. Now it was just them and Robin.

"Kill them," a muffled voice growled through the barrier. Robin jumped back into action, running straight for the weakest member of the team. Normally that would be Beast Boy, but Raven was still on the floor, clutching her knee. He approached her, grabbing her feet and dragging her out of the corner. However, all three of the other Titans started their attacks on him. He turned and fought them off one by one while Raven remained behind him. To an outsider, it would look like he was protecting her from the other three.

Robin shoved Cyborg back, slammed Beast Boy to the ground, and kicked Starfire directly in the chest. He turned around and stood over Raven, but before he could do anything, she slashed his knife across his arm. Grimacing, he pulled out one of his throwing knives and plunged it into her shoulder. Her scream reverberated across the room, giving the rest of the Titans chills. She clutched at the knife, feeling the tip coming out of her back.

Cyborg grabbed Robin, pulling him off of her, and punched him. Robin remained un-phased by the hit, swiping at Cyborg's feet and sending him to the floor. Meanwhile, Beast Boy ran over to Raven, whispering encouraging words to her and yanking the knife out. The action was followed by another scream, to which Beast Boy winced. He continued to talk to Raven, assuring her that she would be okay.

"Starfire!" Raven shouted, her voice strained. Starfire stopped, looking at Raven with disparaging eyes. Raven's head fell back and she began reciting her mantra.

Cyborg pulled Robin to the ground, sitting on top of him and sending him a barrage of punches. He pulled out his gun, slamming the butt of it into Robin's temple. As much force as he put into it, Robin was only stopped for a moment. He knocked the gun out of Cyborg's hand, sending it to the floor, and wrapped his arms around Cyborg's back. His hands searched for his control panel, attempting to rip out any wires within reach.

Starfire flew to the side of the room upon seeing the action, her decision firm. She stood up and faced Robin, who had been thrown off by Cyborg.

"Robin, you can stop this," she shouted, giving him one last warning and knowing that he would disregard it.

"You're right, I can," he replied coldly. He turned to his left and grabbed Beast Boy, who was still by Raven's side, and pulled him up so that he was eye level. Robin's face was inches from his and his gaze seemed to pierce Beast Boy's soul, making his heart beat faster than it ever had before. Beast Boy gave him a questioning look, his eyes going wide as he felt the powerful pressure in his chest. Robin held onto him for a few moments longer, his mouth curling into a smirk and his eyes remaining cold. He dropped him to the ground, the gun still hot in his hand.

Beast Boy fell in what felt like slow motion, the same shocked expression etched onto his face. Robin stood over him, gazing down at him with indifference, while Beast Boy looked up at him in betrayal. His hands found their way to the gunshot wound and he whimpered at the pain of touching it.

For some reason, Robin remained there, staring at Beast Boy for longer than he had intended. He forgot about the rest of the Titans, stuck in that moment, until he was brought back to reality by a stabbing pain in his back. His brows furrowed and he looked down, his hands finding their way to the tip of a sword. Even Beast Boy's breath caught as he looked up at Robin.

Cyborg and Raven both froze, watching as Starfire yanked the sword back out, her expression resolute. The sword clattered to the ground and Robin clutched at his chest, falling to his knees and coughing. He looked at the blood on his hands, his expression one of disbelief. Starfire walked around him, getting down on her knees and facing him.

"I am truly sorry, but I will not allow you to hurt my friends any longer," she said, her voice genuine but her usual sweet tone gone. Robin caught her gaze, looking into her eyes and vaguely recognizing something in them. Something flitted across his face, but what it was, Starfire did not know. She watched as he clutched harder at his wound, his brows furrowing deeper. To see someone that she had admired so greatly fall to such desolation gave her pain deeper than any she had ever known. However, the boy whose eyes she looked into was not the one that she had loved. If anything, that made it hurt even worse, knowing that she wouldn't even get to say goodbye.

Starfire turned away, walking over to Beast Boy in anguish. She kneeled to the ground, pulling him up into her lap and pressing her hand into his wound, tears flowing silently down her face. Behind her, Robin lay still, his eyes closed and his face relaxed for the first time in many years. Cyborg looked down at his friend, his face contorted in sorrow. He had never wanted it to end this way. Raven joined him, placing her hand on his shoulder before sitting next to Robin.

Slade listened in on the other side of the wall, realizing what had just happened. He stood still for a moment, contemplating his next move. Thinking back to the past year, he hesitated, remembering a former consideration of his. He could hear soft talking across the barrier and sighed. What would their deaths do for him? No, he wouldn't waste his time on trivial revenge, not after he had come so close. After a pause, he turned and walked away without Robin for the first time in a long time.

…

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"What other options do we have?" Cyborg asked. The three stood in a hallway, their arms crossed and looks of concern on their faces.

"There's really only one. This or he dies," Raven replied. Cyborg looked to Starfire, who gave him a solemn look.

"Do it," Starfire replied forcefully. "Do whatever you can."

"You do realize that this could leave him worse off than if he were dead. We don't know how it will work, or if it even will," Raven warned. There was only so much that her powers could do.

"We can't let him die, not yet, not without trying," Starfire answered. She was sure in her position. Raven glanced at Cyborg one last time, receiving a reluctant nod. With one last glance, she turned around and walked through the door, preparing herself for a long night of work.

-Gotham: One Week Later-

Three pairs of feet stood at the top of a hill, their shoes making impressions on the wet grass. Each face was sorrowful, but relieved that it was finally over.

"I never thought it would end like this," Cyborg lamented.

"None of us did. Who would?" Raven replied. She looked down at the tombstones, reading each name and feeling the impact. _John Grayson. Mary Grayson. Richard Grayson. _Seeing all three next to each other gave her a sense of closure.

"At least it's over," Cyborg supposed. "He won't be in pain anymore." Starfire nodded, her face stoic, but her heart aching. The three would build a memorial to Robin at the Tower and would likely have another moment, but for now, this was all they needed. The three glanced at each other, smiling weak smiles and walking back down the hill.

"Beast Boy would have liked to see this," Cyborg added. "He was the only one who still held onto hope when none of us did." Raven smiled, nodding in agreement.

-Azarath: Five Months Ago-

Raven sat up, panting from the sudden wake. She could still hear the crowing of the Raven. Taking calming breaths, she tried to remember where she was, but all she could see was the name on that tombstone. _Richard Grayson_. Something about the name seemed so familiar.

She had left Earth hoping to start over again, to find a place of peace, a place of control. However, she couldn't leave her friends behind, no matter what had happened in the past.

-Manzanita, Oregon: Four Months Ago-

Upon finding out who Richard Grayson was, Raven had connected the dots. However, she needed to know what the team was up to before she could do anything. She had decided that she wouldn't make contact unless they did anything that was dangerous. Getting back together would have repercussions in all of their lives.

She sat in the coffee shop, her face shielded by a hood, and gazed out the window, watching the boy sitting on the beach. He threw a few rocks in the ocean, occasionally stopping and staring out at the water. It made her happy to see him so contented and she found herself praying that her vision had been false. Perhaps he wasn't planning anything.

Of course, she had been wrong. Beast Boy was planning to make a move, and soon by the looks of it. As far as Raven knew, Starfire was still on Tameran and Cyborg was in Boston. Presumably, Beast Boy could get to Boston soon, but if he wanted Starfire's help, he would be held off for at least a short while. That should give her enough time to come up with a plan. At least, that's what she hoped.

-Boston: Six Weeks Ago-

Raven followed Cyborg, confused as to where he was going every day. She remembered him being displaced to Boston and working at an auto shop, yet he did not seem to be working there anymore. Despite her wanting to keep her distance, she decided that she could trust Cyborg to keep quiet about everything.

As he walked out of the same building that he went to every day, she followed him to a bus stop. He got on the first bus and she followed, eventually taking a seat next to him. He glanced over at her, doing a double take once he realized who she was.

"Raven?!" he shouted loudly. Her hand shot out to his mouth, quieting him.

"Shh, yes. I need to talk to you," she replied.

"What're you doing here?"

"I think Beast Boy is going to try to contact you," she answered. Cyborg nodded, surprised. "I need you to try to convince him out of whatever he is planning, but if you can't, you need to help him."

"Is he going after Robin?" Cyborg asked in concern.

"I think so," she replied, knowing that it was the only plausible explanation. Beast Boy wouldn't risk prison just for a friendly visit.

"When? How… Where is he?" Cyborg didn't quite know exactly what to ask. He had too many questions.

"I think within the month." Cyborg exhaled, resting his face in his hand.

"Raven, I don't know if I can help him… I kind of have something that I can't get out of," he worried.

"Whatever it is that you have been doing, I don't care, just get out of it. Whatever it takes," she warned.

"Do you know something?" he asked, looking intently at her for an answer. She looked forward, shielding herself with the cloak.

"Just promise me you will help him, it is important. Whatever it takes," she repeated. Cyborg sighed, wondering how the hell he was going to get out of his newly formed team. Hopefully he would have time to gain favor with them before Beast Boy came and he had to drop the news.

"I'll do everything I can," Cyborg promised. Raven nodded in thanks.

"Also, this never happened. Don't tell anyone that you spoke to me."

"Are you not staying?" he asked, concerned.

"No, I still have stuff to do. I promise I'll be there if you need help." The bus came to a stop and she stood up, bidding him goodbye and walking off. Cyborg sighed in frustration, worried about the future.

-Gotham: Three Weeks Ago-

Raven levitated over the gate, walking leisurely to the front of Wayne manor. She could hear the cameras turning to face her, but maintained her confidence. Within a minute, she arrived at the door and knocked, receiving no immediate answer. She stood patiently for a moment before the door finally opened, an elderly butler answering.

"May I help you?" Alfred asked politely.

"I need to speak to Bruce," she replied. "It's urgent." Alfred looked her over, sensing the gravity of her tone, and beckoned her in.

"If you could wait here for a moment," he apologized, shutting the door and heading upstairs. Raven walked to a chair and sat down, crossing her legs and waiting.

After several minutes, Alfred returned with Bruce on his heel. Upon seeing her, a look of understanding dawned on Bruce's face and he stopped. Alfred bid him goodbye and walked away, leaving the two alone.

Bruce walked down to Raven, extending his hand to her.

"What can I do for you?" Bruce asked, assessing the situation.

"It's about Robin," Raven replied. Bruce sighed heavily in response, motioning for her to follow him in the living room.

"Have a seat," he offered. She sat down, facing him and letting him know that her visit wasn't trivial.

"His name is Richard Grayson, is it not?" she asked, cutting to the chase.

"Yes, how did you find out?" he asked, taking his own seat slowly.

"I saw his tombstone in a vision." The room fell silent as Bruce processed what that had meant. The fire from the hearth danced across his face, and although his expression remained the same, Raven could feel the air change. At that moment, Alfred walked in, a tray of tea at hand.

"Please, help yourself," he offered, refraining from lingering after placing the tray on the table. Raven leaned forward, pouring herself a cup of tea before continuing.

"I came to you for advice. Beast Boy has decided to continue his pursuit and I fear that it will lead to Robin's death," she admitted, laying all the cards on the table for Bruce. She sat back and took a sip, allowing him time to contemplate. However, he didn't need time to think before he replied.

"He's better off that way," Bruce said, his voice rigid. Raven stopped mid-sip, looking at him in concern.

"Dead?" she asked.

"Out of Slade's hands," Bruce corrected. After a pause, he regained his composure. "Beast Boy already came to me for advice. He stole some files, then left. I am well aware of what he is planning."

"And you don't want to stop it?" she asked. The question was followed by the longest silence, in which Bruce leaned forward and poured his own cup of tea.

"You say he is dead in your vision?"

"I am standing in front of his tombstone," she answered.

"Have your visions ever been false?" Raven paused, regarding him.

"No." Bruce nodded, sipping his tea.

"Well, then, I guess there is nothing to say about it." Raven set down her cup, catching his gaze and holding him in her own.

"I understand that you are unhappy with what has become of him, but do you really want him to die?" It was posed as more of a statement than a question. "I may not be able to change what happens in my vision, but I was hoping that you would have the creative abilities to help me decipher how it happens." Bruce glared at her, not liking the condescension in her voice. Neither were particularly fond of the other.

"What exactly is it that you want from me?" he asked, all formality in his voice gone.

"Your knowledge of how to kill someone," she answered truthfully.

-Gotham: Present Day-

The three walked through the doors of Wayne Manor. Cyborg and Starfire headed for the kitchen, ready for lunch, while Raven walked upstairs. She made her way down the halls to their bedrooms, opening one of the doors and walking in.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"How was the grave?" Beast Boy replied, not caring so much about how he felt.

"It was nice. Right next to his parents," she answered, taking a seat in the chair next to his bed.

"I wish I could've been there," he lamented, smoothing out the comforter with his hands.

"There was no way I was letting you leave the house."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Still, I would have liked to see it." Raven gave him a look of admiration and he gave her one of confusion in return. "What?" he asked nervously.

"It's just… After everything he did, everything he has done to you," she mused, indicating towards the bandage on his chest, "You still wanted to honor his grave."

"Oh, well, yeah. He was our friend, at least at one time," Beast Boy answered as if it were obvious. Raven smiled, grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly before letting go. "I told you I'd carry enough hope for the both of us," he smirked. Raven scoffed, leaning back and crossing her arms.

"Just be glad you are still alive," she shot back. The two paused for a moment, smiling to themselves.

"So, where do we go from here?" he asked. Raven stood up and ruffled his hair, much to his annoyance.

"Just work on getting better, then we'll talk." She left him with those words, walking down towards the kitchen to make herself some lunch.

* * *

Once again, make sure to read the next chapter, even if this one pissed you off.

Also, I'd like to hear your thoughts.


	34. Eulogy

-The Disclaimer is in Chapter One-

After all this time, here we are. This will be the last chapter of FR. However, there will be a separate story that is a series of **extending epilogues**. I would recommend reading them if you want to see the conclusion of all the loose ends, but more about that after the chapter.

I would like to extend a special thank you to:

**dlsky**: for input on the finale of the story

**Ravager17**: for seeing this story through to the end

* * *

-One Year Later-

Four young adults strolled down the pavement of the park, smiling and having light conversation. No one paid any mind to them, aside from the occasional double take for Beast Boy's green skin. For the most part they seemed to be just a normal group of friends. Upon looking at them, one wouldn't know of the traumatizing and gruesome past they had endured, nor the suffering that came with the loss of a friend. For once, they weren't being hunted, nor were they hunting someone else. For once, they just lived.

"Right here," Beast Boy shouted, running towards a spot on the top of a hill and plopping down. Raven followed him, shooing him out of the way and laying down a blanket.

"You couldn't have picked a spot in the shade?" she mumbled, sitting down on the blanket and blocking the sun with her hand.

"This has the best view of the park," he justified. Cyborg and Starfire soon joined, each taking a seat on the blanket and sighing.

"It really is a glorious day, is it not?" Starfire beamed.

"Considering the circumstances, it really isn't that bad," Raven agreed. She pulled out her book and faced away from the sun, quickly becoming engulfed in the chapter. Beast Boy shot her a glance of annoyance, but turned to Cyborg.

"Lunch?" he asked.

"Yeah, is that even a question?" Cyborg replied, opening the basket and pulling out their food. Starfire took to her jar of mustard and sat contentedly, looking around the park and soaking in the sun. It felt good to be on Earth again. It felt like coming home.

"Hey, BB, hand me a soda," Cyborg half asked, half demanded.

"How many times do I have to tell you, it's Changeling now!" Beast Boy shouted, pulling a soda out and tossing it to Cyborg, who just scoffed in return.

"You'll always be Beast Boy to me," he countered. The two began devouring their lunches and Raven made a face of disgust before returning to her book. No matter how old those boys got, they still remained the slobs that they were as teens.

Over the next half hour, Cyborg and Beast Boy chatted happily, discussing the past year. Raven struck up a conversation with Starfire, asking her how Tameran had been doing, but the conversation ended and Raven went back to reading.

The sun rose high as the afternoon continued, shining down on the park. Starfire watched as the children ran around, playing tag and throwing Frisbees. Parents went after them worriedly and pedestrians walked by with dogs. One family had taken up a spot beneath a tree several yards away, laying down their own blanket. Starfire watched them get settled, a small smile on her face.

"What time is it?" Raven asked, cutting into Beast Boy and Cyborg's conversation. Cyborg looked down at his arm.

"One," he replied, pausing and giving Raven a glance. The three turned to Starfire, all watching her and following her gaze.

She was still watching the family, a strange sadness on her features. The parents sat next to each other, talking and smiling, occasionally leaning against one another. Their son sat across from them, leaning back on his hands and mingling in the conversation.

"Why do we have to come here?" he asked, annoyed.

"Stop complaining."

"I'm not complaining, I'm just asking," he shrugged. His parents looked at each other, sighing.

"You have to go out sometimes," his mother chastised.

Starfire's concentration was severed when she heard Beast Boy's voice in her ear.

"Star, are you okay?" he asked in concern. Starfire nodded, turning back to them.

"I'm better than I have been in a long time," she admitted. At that, Beast Boy smiled. Raven started talking with Cyborg and Beast Boy held Starfire's gaze for a moment, encouraging her. He knew how hard this day would be, especially for her out of anyone. She nodded in acknowledgment, joining in on the conversation. However, she turned one last time to look at the boy.

-Gotham: A Little Over a Year Ago-

Raven sat across from Bruce, holding the mug in her hand.

"I came to you for advice. Beast Boy has decided to continue his pursuit and I fear that it will lead to Robin's death," she admitted, laying all the cards on the table for Bruce. She sat back and took a sip, allowing him time to contemplate. However, he didn't need time to think before he replied.

"He's better off that way," Bruce said, his voice rigid. Raven stopped mid-sip, looking at him in concern.

"Dead?" she asked.

"Out of Slade's hands," Bruce corrected. After a pause, he regained his composure. "Beast Boy already came to me for advice. He stole some files, then left. I am well aware of what he is planning."

"And you don't want to stop it?" she asked. The question was followed by the longest silence, in which Bruce leaned forward and poured his own cup of tea.

"You say he is dead in your vision?"

"I am standing in front of his tombstone," she answered.

"Have your visions ever been false?" Raven paused, regarding him.

"No." Bruce nodded, sipping his tea.

"Well, then, I guess there is nothing to say about it." Raven set down her cup, catching his gaze and holding him in her own.

"I understand that you are unhappy with what has become of him, but do you really want him to die?" It was posed as more of a statement than a question. "I may not be able to change what happens in my vision, but I was hoping that you would have the creative abilities to help me decipher how it happens." Bruce glared at her, not liking the condescension in her voice. Neither were particularly fond of the other.

"What exactly is it that you want from me?" he asked, all formality in his voice gone.

"Your knowledge of how to kill someone," she answered truthfully. She had been spending the past few months contemplating the meaning of her vision. Normally, she only had visions if there was something that she was required to do to fulfill them.

"You want me to tell you how to kill Robin?" Bruce breathed. He may have disowned Robin, but the thought of partaking in his murder was just disgusting.

"I want you to tell me about the human body. You know, out of all people, that it can withstand some pretty terrible injuries," she mused. Bruce furrowed his brow, deciphering what she was saying.

"Yes, I know," he murmured, having come close to death many times himself.

"Slade would never let Robin go, not as long as he were alive, right?" Bruce nodded. "Well, he certainly wouldn't have any use for Robin if he were dead, do you agree?" Bruce once again nodded. Raven leaned forward, her face lighting up. "Suppose we find a way to make Slade believe that Robin was dead," she proposed boldly.

"You mean, fake Robin's death?" Bruce asked.

"Yes." She sounded confident in the idea, but Bruce knew that it was trivial.

"Faking a death isn't easy. It requires planning and participation on _both ends_ of the party. How do you plan on convincing Robin to fake his death? He is determined to stay where he is." Bruce sounded defeated.

"No, we wouldn't try to convince Robin. He can't be reasoned with. When we inevitably face him, we make it seem like we killed him." Bruce was becoming more disillusioned at the idea by the minute. "Do you know how to seriously injure someone without killing them, is what I'm asking," she clarified. The realization dawned on Bruce as he caught onto her plan.

"Was this in your vision?"

"No, my vision didn't show him dying, which was why I thought this might be possible." Bruce thought for a moment. There were certainly ways in which you could injure someone without killing them, but it would need to be especially realistic. And even if they managed to keep themselves from killing him, what would they do with him afterwards?

"It is possible, but considering how complex the human body is. It- it is unlikely," he admitted.

"Bruce, with all due respect, my vision will come true, one way or another. How it happens is up to us. It is at least worth a try," she pleaded. He sighed, contemplating the options.

"I'll help you, but if this goes wrong, it is on your hands."

-Paris: One Year Ago-

Raven landed on the ground, dropping Beast Boy in the confusion. She began to heal his arm, trying to explain the situation to him without wasting time.

"Can you go back in there? I will get Cyborg and Star." Beast Boy nodded in return, testing out his arm before transforming into a bird and flying back towards the house. Raven watched him fly off before turning around and transporting to the car.

She ran to the window, knocking frantically. Starfire screamed in surprise and joy and Cyborg got out of the car.

"Raven, did something happen?" Raven ignored his question, going straight into her debriefing.

"Beast Boy has been exposed. There is a fight in the manor and the kids are in danger." Cyborg made a move to run towards the manor, but Raven held him back. "Cyborg, what I am about to tell you two is extremely important. You have to trust me." Cyborg and Starfire nodded, concerned at her tone.

"I had a vision of Robin's tombstone. I visited Batman and he said that there are ways that you can injure someone without killing them. We need to fake Robin's death so that Slade will back off. I'll explain the rest of the plan after. For now, all you need to know is that there is a spot in the chest right here," she said, indicating on her own chest, "that you can shoot or stab that leaves a chance of survival. It isn't one hundred percent, but if the time comes, I need one of you to try." Cyborg and Starfire were reaming with the information that she was providing, both severely confused.

"Friend Raven, I don't know-" Raven cut her off, shaking her head.

"I need you to trust me. Whoever gets the opportunity first needs to try. Now, go and get the kids out. We'll look for Robin after." The two paused for a moment, but she pointed to the manor, her face severe. Despite their utter bewilderment, they fled towards the manor, preparing to offer help.

Raven turned to join them when she spotted a man getting out of a van a few yards ahead of her. Knowing exactly who it was, she sprinted towards him.

Clark began running towards the manor in concern, hearing the screams coming from inside. However, before he made it to the gate, something heavy knocked him off his feet. He was knocked out immediately by the impact and Raven dragged him back to the other side of the road, pulling him into his van.

After New York, they did not need him to be there during the fight. Whatever was going to happen today, it didn't need more complications than it already had. She had seen him around in Paris and knew that she needed to keep him from getting too close.

After shutting the door, she transported to the manor, ready to teleport some children off the grounds.

…

Raven lie on the ground, trying to heal her shoulder, when she caught Starfire's gaze. Robin was under Cyborg, coming uncomfortably close to ripping out some circuitry. She nodded to Starfire, looking at the sword on the ground. Her friend glanced at it, hesitant to pick it up.

"Starfire!" she shouted. This was their one shot. Hearing the urgency in Raven's voice, Starfire picked up the sword and stalked behind Robin. She watched as Robin tried to kill Cyborg and made her decision.

"Robin, you can stop this," she shouted, giving him one last warning and knowing that he would disregard it. The sword sat lazily in her hand, but Robin didn't even glance at it. Instead he turned to Beast Boy.

"You're right, I can," he replied, pulling Beast Boy up by the shirt and unsheathing his gun. Within a moment, he fired it directly into Beast Boy's chest, holding the boy for a few seconds before dropping him to the floor.

That was it. She knew she had to do it. Robin stood over Beast Boy, looking down at him intently, when Starfire ran forward, plunging the sword as close to the spot Raven demonstrated as possible. Robin sputtered, his hands flying to the tip of the sword. Starfire bit down on her lip, yanking it back out with a cry. Robin fell to his knees and she walked around to face him.

"I am truly sorry, but I will not allow you to hurt my friends any longer," she said, her voice genuine but her usual sweet tone gone. Her heart ached at the look that he gave her. Even in his death, his eyes remained empty. He furrowed his brows, but she didn't stay to watch, walking away to aid Beast Boy instead. It was simply too painful.

Cyborg stood over Robin, watching as his breaths became shallow and his eyes closed. Raven soon joined him, touching his shoulder briefly before falling to the ground. Her hands flew to Robin's neck, checking to see if there was a pulse. They then made their way to the wound and she began chanting softly to herself.

"Star, how is Beast Boy doing?" Raven asked, breaking her mantra.

"He is alive," she huffed. Raven soon walked over to her, placing her hands on his wound and repeating her mantra.

"Raven, are you sure you can handle this?" Cyborg asked. He was worried about how much energy she had been expending today. Raven ignored him, continuing her chant. After several minutes, Beast Boy's breathing stabilized and Raven stopped.

"Is he going to be okay?" Cyborg asked, unable to hide the genuine worry in his voice.

"He's not in the clear, but he should be fine to transport." Starfire nodded, draping him across Raven's back. Despite her exhaustion, she pushed through, knowing that she could rest once they were out of there.

-Wayne Manor: Several Days Later-

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"What other options do we have?" Cyborg asked. The three stood in a hallway, their arms crossed and looks of concern on their faces.

"There's really only one. This or he dies," Raven replied. Cyborg looked to Starfire, who gave him a solemn look.

"Do it," Starfire replied forcefully. "Do whatever you can."

"You do realize that this could leave him worse off than if he were dead. We don't know how it will work, or if it even will," Raven warned. There was only so much that her powers could do.

"We can't let him die, not yet, not without trying," Starfire answered. She was sure in her position. Raven glanced at Cyborg one last time, receiving a reluctant nod. With one last glance, she turned around and walked through the door.

In the room lie several hospital beds, monitors, and basic medical equipment that would be needed for fighting related injuries. Raven walked over to Beast Boy's bed, checking his breathing and bandages. He slept quietly and she watched as his chest rose and fell, a small smile forming at the sight. She had been worried that he would die, especially since he was nowhere to be seen in her vision.

Turning, she walked over to Robin, who was restrained and asleep on the furthest bed in the room. She sat down in a chair next to him and sighed, checking the IV in his arm. Robin had been put into a temporary coma until she could recover. Using the amount of magic that she used in one day was extremely unhealthy, making her unable to move once she sat down. Since it took a few days for her to heal, they didn't want to risk Robin waking up.

Bruce had welcomed them in after the fight, knowing that she would bring Robin if he had lived, but was displeased that Cyborg and Starfire now knew who he was. Seeing Robin asleep and covered in blood proved to be too much for Bruce as he disappeared that night, sending Alfred to tend to Robin. After all that had happened, he couldn't bear to look at the boy.

When she had visited Bruce before, she explained to him that she had the ability to alter memories, and even completely erase them. He had gotten the general idea of where she was going and begrudgingly agreed to aid her if she wiped Robin's mind. Of course, she wasn't even certain if she could since she had never tried such mass scale replacement before. Since it was either that or murder Robin, the choice was obvious. Killing Robin was never really an option for them, not as long as there was something else they could do.

So, here she sat, looking down at Robin's sleeping form and preparing herself for the hardest days of her life. She would have to sort through years of memories, deciding what should be altered and what should be erased, and quite frankly, she found herself regretting her plan. But Robin was counting on her.

She sighed and placed her hands on his temples, working her way backwards from several days ago.

…

"Any progress?" Bruce asked, standing across from Raven in the hall. The two were alone and he had finally decided to check on how Robin was doing, albeit without visiting.

"I am still in his apprenticeship," Raven reported, her voice tired.

"Do you have to sort through every memory?" he asked.

"It's not really like that. It's not thousands of individual memories, but rather a streamline of consciousness and time. It's much like erasing an entire sentence on a sheet of paper. However, I do see certain fragments," she explained. This wasn't exactly something that she could explain easily.

"You've seen what he went through?" Raven remained silent, looking down at the floor with hooded eyes. Bruce nodded in understanding. He didn't want to know. "Do you think it will work? Will he still be able to function?" He was extremely reluctant to allow this. Being dead might have been easier on the boy. He didn't want some pseudo-human that sat there staring blankly at the walls all day.

"I think it may work. We won't know until he wakes up, but so far everything looks good." Bruce sighed, nodding. "Have you set up the foster home yet?" she asked.

"I contacted some friends. When and if he is ready, we have somewhere safe that he can go."

"And the funeral?"

"Everything is arranged for this weekend. I'll be there for the service, but I don't want any of you there since it is Dick's grave and not Robin's." Raven nodded, understanding how important his secret identity was to him. Naturally, Slade must know who the two were, and would probably be looking for some sort of funeral service, which was why they were having one in the first place. The Titans would visit it later, on their own time.

Raven sat down, tired, but knowing she had to continue. Watching his life was really taking a toll on her. She couldn't miss one detail, couldn't forget to change one name, or else everything will have been for nothing. All it would take was more work. That's what she promised herself. Then he would finally be free.

-Versailles-

Slade strode into the room with confidence, his presence dominating. An old man stood to greet him, extending his hand before sitting back down.

"_Ah, Slade, to what do I owe the pleasure_?" Frederick asked, smiling.

"_I'm afraid that I am here on business, Frederick_," Slade replied, taking a seat across from him at the desk.

"_Then what may I do for you_?" Slade folded his hands, his expression calm.

"_A week ago, a manor in the countryside was attacked. Bombed to be specific." _Frederick nodded. "_It was you who ordered it?" _Slade stated, already knowing the answer.

"_Yes. The council had unanimously agreed that the sex trafficker, Paul Oriole, needed handling. I apologize if you were looking for a job. I thought this too simple for you," _he apologized sincerely. He and Slade had a very long history of co-ops, with Slade singlehandedly completing most of the council's needs. However, he was normally only called on individual or high profile assassinations. A bombing was below his status, something that he wouldn't consider.

"_No, I did not need a job. I already had one." _Frederick tilted his head, confused. "_You see, I had already infiltrated the manor and was very close to shutting it down myself," _Slade explained, talking about it as one would talk about the weather.

"_I had no idea," _Frederick admitted, "_If I had known that you were already on it, I wouldn't have ordered the bombing." _

"_Yes, unfortunate really," _Slade lamented. Frederick paused, knowing that Slade wasn't here to simply inform him of the loss.

"_You seek compensation for your lost contract?" _he asked.

"_Oh, no amount of compensation could bring back what I lost. Rather, I expect that my mission be fulfilled by other means." _Frederick nodded, imploring Slade to express what he wanted. "_Oriole's power and influence over the underground of Paris was substantial. I planned on taking it after him and using it for better means. However, now that all of his associates are either dead or fleeing the country, his reach has all but disappeared." _

"_You wanted his business?" _Frederick asked, affronted. He had always respected the man.

"_I wanted his influence. I could care less about the trafficking. But now, the organization of the underground is gone. There is no structure or means of controlling it. And Frederick, if there is anything that you know about me, it's that I don't walk out empty handed." _Frederick shifted in his seat.

"_Slade, I did not know. If you had contacted me before-"_

"_I didn't expect interference. It was an honest mistake, I understand that," _Slade said, talking him down. "_Unfortunately, yours is the only power that rivaled his own." _Frederick glanced towards the door, but Slade smiled at him. "_I apologize that I have to do this. I really enjoyed working with you, and quite frankly, I liked you. But business calls. You understand," _he explained, pulling out his gun.

"_My granddaughter is heir to the Tour d'Augvergne name, and when I die, she will take over," _Frederick proclaimed.

"_I'm sorry, but that won't happen. You see, the house of Tour d'Augvergne will die with you, or rather with her."_ Frederick stood up, looking at the door in panic. "_I'll make it quick. Thank you for all the years and contracts. It truly saddens me to have to do this,"_ he said, his voice as smooth as silk. He pulled the trigger and Frederick fell back, landing in his chair and sputtering.

Slade walked over, taking the signet ring off of Frederick's finger, and left. Paris would not be a complete loss. And now, he would rule over the council, giving him more power over France than he had initially planned. With Robin gone and his grand plan on hold, he figured he could stay in France for a little while longer and rule his new empire. For once, he would not be the one to lose out.

-Present Day-

The Titans stood up, packing their blanket and stretching.

"I wish we could go and talk to him," Starfire admitted, glancing at the family and at Robin.

"Just seeing us might trigger a memory, Star," Raven warned. "Plus, he isn't the same person we knew. He has memories of an entirely different life now, memories that I'm sure will make him different than Robin. "

"Oh, I know, I didn't mean to actually do it." All of them watched Robin talk to his foster parents, knowing that it was for the best. This way, he would get to live a happy, normal life. One without pain and suffering. One without slavery and murder. One that he actually deserved.

"We should go," Raven said. Starfire was the last to turn, catching one more glimpse of Robin as he sat on his blanket. She smiled and turned, completely missing the large figure standing in the shadows, always watching.

* * *

First of all, thank you all for your never ending support! It made all the difference, turning this story from a one chapter one shot to a ridiculously long story.

I would greatly appreciate it if you would leave a review about your thoughts on the ending, even if you are reading it long after it was published. I love to hear your input.

**About the Epilogues: **

Obviously there are still many unanswered plot questions, and those are there for a reason. I will be starting a second story, **Finding Absolution**, which will not be nearly as long, but will follow up on:

-Red X

-Details about the organization that Cyborg is working for, because an explanation does exist

-Slade's whereabouts and actual intentions with Robin in FR

-Robin's family

-What the Titans did after Paris

-Clark and his vendetta

If you are completely satisfied with this ending and don't want any elaboration, then feel free to leave it here. However, if you are interested in seeing those ends tied up and explained, please continue on to the next story, which I am aiming to publish relatively soon.

Thank you for the ride!


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